Take Me Out
by Silgi
Summary: Alex's the new student at school. She be-friends a lively girl on her first day and they become best friends. But what happens when Alex falls for the stubborn, obnoxious, but coolest guy in school?
1. Chapter 1

Wizards of Waverly Place: **Take Me Out**

**Summery:**

**Alex's the new student at school. She be-friends a lively girl on her first day and they become best friends. But what happens when Alex falls for the stubborn, obnoxious, but coolest guy in school?**

"Now are you sure you've got everything?" Newly appointent, General Russo asked his daughter.

"Dad, I'm seventeen, I think I can organize myself." Alex said with a great amount of sarcasm.

Alex Russo was anything but a typical seventeen-year-old girl, she happens to be a wizard! Whose father had just been given a job promotion in a different city and Alex was forced to move away from her friends back at Greenwich Village and was now being forced again to do something she didn't want to. That was go to school. She wouldn't know anyone there she thought, so what was the point? And what was he thinking anyway? Asking her if she was organized? Of course she was! She had been able to organize her since her mother decided to get a divorce while her father was away a lot, taking part in wars.

General Russo pulled up outside the school, which was as Alex thought as big as an airfield. Like they always were in these big cities.

"Dad? Do I really have to go?" Alex asked wearily.

"Yes Alex. I will not have another argument about this." He said firmly and if that was case closed.

"Whatever." She said, opening the door and swinging her legs out, throwing her school bag on her back.

"Don't you speak to me like that young lady." General Russo stated firmly.

"Whatever" She said again slamming the car door and stalking off.

Honestly, she thought. I'm not a child.

She was so angry with her father, that she didn't pay attention to where she was going and walked straight into a girl, and both of them dropped their books.

"Sorry!" Said Alex bending down to help the girl gather up her work.

"Hey, never mind," The girl said, standing up again.

Alex stood up too and noticed that the girl was smiling at her, instead of scowling. When she was the new girl in her last school everyone had scowled and laughed at her. But there this girl was standing there smiling and being genuinely friendly.

"I'm Sabrina Spellman by the way," she said holding out her hand.

"Nice to meet you must be Sabrina the teenage witch", Sabrina had a shocked looked on her face.

"Don't worry I wont tell, I'm Alex Russo a Wizard just like you so I know about magic as well," Alex said smiling back at her and shaking her hand.

"Oh so your bad girl Russo, I heard so much about you!" She says.

Here it comes, Alex thought the scowl and then the pretending like she doesn't matter and that she's not actually there, like she's in some kind of daydream.

"I've been waiting for you for ages," she says smiling once again "I was assigned to show you around because your timetable is the partially the same as mine. And I thought you were going to be one of these really solemn kids, which are so depressed because they've moved school so much. Not that I'm saying you should be depressed or anything!" She says quickly

Alex laughed, for the first time in her life with a genuine laugh.

"Hey it's no problem." Alex said smiling.

"Well the bells about to ring," Sabrina say beckoning me to follow her. And I do.

"Well, are we friends?" Sabrina says earnestly.

Alex thinks about this for a while. Yeah it's a stupid thing to do since, as this girl has just asked to be her friend on the first day at school. But she had this happen to her before. The previous school she went too, the girl assigned to show her around said she wanted to be her friend and then when she saw her again at break she said that she didn't know who she was or where she came from and suggested she get lost. So naturally Alex doesn't trust people on first meetings. But Sabrina seemed genuine enough.

"Sure Sabrina?" Alex said grinning.

She links arms with me and we walk arm in arm to our first lesson.

Maybe this wasn't going to be such a bad day after all.

Alex had the first two lessons with Sabrina and break and then she had math and I had English. She directed me towards the English classroom and said she'd see me at lunch. So I walked down the corridor and took a left turn like she'd told me too.

And sure enough there was Room 14. My English room, students were entering already so I supposed I had better find a good seat preferably one near the back.

So she entered the room without looking at anyone and walked straight to the back of the classroom where there were at least four empty seats. And Alex sat right in the middle one. Keeping your head down was what she learnt in the past 3 schools she's been too. So she did. Than the teacher entered ready to begin her lesson.

"Class, we have a new student today. Her name is Alex Russo. And no you all don't need to turn around and look at her. I'm sure she'd rather not have your ugly faces staring at her. So Welcome Alex, were on page 15 of the poetry handbook. The rest of you please go back to your essays. That will be all for this lesson. Any problems come and ask me please, don't ask your neighbor because I'm sure they are as dim-witted as yourself. "And she sat down immediately after this and took out a pen and a piece of paper and began writing.

Wow, Alex thought. This woman is brilliant, any normal teacher would have had me stand at the front and make a complete spectacle of myself. Anyway seen as she did me a favor, I'd better start reading this book.

Alex opened to the page that she was supposed to be reading. She had gotten half way down the page, when she was distracted by someone opening the door. In he walked. He had untidy brown hair was lying on the side of his face and hung neatly just above his forehead. He was wearing a black Diesel Jannui jacket that had fretted tips at the end of the sleeves and Calvin Klein Skinny Ore Wash jeans. He was also wearing a white True Religion T-shirt underneath his jacket and had a pure silver necklace made by Giorgio Armani around his neck. Tasteful. She couldn't wait to see what this cute hunk wears tomorrow. His piercing blue eyes made Alex go weak in the knees. Good thing she was sitting down!

Alex was glad she decided to wear something cute so that maybe he'd notice her. She was wearing her favorite pair of DKNY Soho Skinny jeans with Burberry Wool Voile Check shirt. Classic, if she does say so herself. Her jeans fit in all the right areas. And her shirt showed off the curvatures of her chest.

"Ah, Conner." She said," Where have you been?"

"I don't know, around." Said the boy.

"Well if your place 'around' keeps on coming up in these conversations then I will have to talk to your parents, wont I?" said the teacher; Alex thought she really should learn her name some day.

"Whatever," said the boy, hoisting up his Prada messenger bag and was walking towards her!

Me! Alex squealed in a small voice. He's walking this way! And he's almost in front of me!

He reached Alex and just stood there looking down at her, and Alex looking up at him.

"You're in my seat." He said.

"And," Alex asked, "I don't see your name printed on the chair or the desk and I don't think you own it."

Alex didn't mean to do it! He's probably gonna start yelling at her now. She thought he seems the type of shallow rich kid and besides she was in his seat or so he says. But instead he shrugs, and smiles then says.

"Fair enough, funnily I can't see it printed there either. Maybe I should do that next lesson. Remind me will you?"

He smiles again and then he takes the seat next to her and he gets a book and a pen out and sits there reading it!

Alex's mouth hung open literally!

She was so rude and sarcastic! Any normal person would have started yelling at her. Anyway she looked back around at the rest of the class and some of them are looking at her open mouthed and some are just staring at that guy, what's his name Conroy, she thinks the teacher said his name was.

Everyone sat in silence for the rest of the lesson, some of them whispering and looking around at her.

At 12:30 the bell rang for lunch.

Alex had a double lesson and than she was shattered! Anyway Alex went back around to her locker, where Sabrina was already waiting.

"So, how'd it go?" she asked looking concerned.

Alex opened her mouth to reply, when that guy walked around the corner and smiled at her then said.

"You're pretty sarcastic for the new girl you know."

"Well you'd better get used to it now hadn't you?" Alex says back and he walks off.

Alex looks back at Sabrina, who was staring opened mouthed at her.

"What?" Alex asked.

"You just bad-mouthed Conner!" She said looking horrified.

"And," Alex asked shrugging "Your point is what exactly?" Alex said laughing.

Sabrina laughs too. She links my arm with hers and we go to the cafeteria laughing our heads off.

Sabrina and Alex sat down to eat their lunch and she was getting multiple stares from people across the room, probably because she badmouthed this Conner guy. I mean he's just a guy for god's sake. A rude obnoxious guy at that but that's not the point.

Alex heard this disgusting guzzling noise, like the kinda noise pigs make when they eat. Alex looked around Sabrina who was eating like any normal civilized person. She finished and got up.

"I'm just gonna put this lot in the bin," she said nodding to her plate. "Want me to take yours?"

"No thanks, I haven't finished eating yet." Alex says, Sabrina nods and walks away.

Suddenly the noise stopped for about half a second and then carried on. Alex looked around for the source of the noise and there it was in all its disgusting glory.

A boy with bright blonde hair that stuck up at the front a few seats away from Sabrina and I was shoveling food into his mouth like there was no tomorrow! I was absolutely disgusted. And me being the sarcastic seventeen-year-old I was I just had to say something.

"Excuse me," Alex said politely and the boy stops and looks up "Would you mind not making pig noises while eating your lunch, you're putting me off my food. And I suggest that if you want to make those sorts of noises you go and live on a farm."

Alex half expected the boy to start shouting at her but instead he sat there grinning his head off.

"So you're Alex huh?" He said.

Alex was astounded! How did this boy know my name exactly? Did she say anywhere in that sentence "Hi my names Alex Russo by the way." NO! She did not.

S was just about to demand how he knew my name when he said.

"Sabrina Spellman told me about you in English," the boy said "She said you were a bit sarcastic."

Oh. Well now she felt like a brat.

"Okay, seen as you know my name what's yours?" Alex asked, again being very sarcastically.

"Charlie. Charlie Brown. I was named after the kid in Peanuts. I go by Charles. Anyway is it true you badmouthed Conner?"

Alex can almost see everyone in the cafeteria's ears pointing upwards and outwards to listen.

"Yes," Alex says loudly and clearly so everyone can hear. Alex could almost see their mouths drop in horror. "Yes I did."

"Wow. I can't believe you did that. I'm surprised he didn't have a go at you, the last guy who sat in his seat left this school the day after he'd been shouted at. Hey perhaps the reason he didn't have a go at you is because he likes you or something" Charles said grinning.

Like me? HA! He just wanted to show off, thinking he's so cool all the time.

"Me? Are you kidding? He probably wanted to show off and I was too much of a match for him." Alex said trying to convince herself.

"Yeah sure," Charles says rolling his eyes.

"Well I see you two have met then?" Says Sabrina from behind me.

"Yeah and dumb-ass here thinks that the only reason that that Conner guy didn't have a go at me is because he likes or something." Alex said looking at up at her.

Sabrina looks quite serious for a moment and She thought she was about to agree with Charles. Then she bursts into hysterics. Alex smiles at Charles.

"Girls," he mutters. "Anyway I must be off, got some karate to practice. See you ladies in History."

"Girls win again." Alex say standing up and Sabrina and Alex gave each other a high-five.

"Anyway, you've met part of our group." She says and we exit the canteen.

"Group," Alex said in astonishment.

"Yeah, there's me, you, Charles and then there's James. If you think mastering Charles was hard wait till you meet James Letterman. He's like the most perverted guy on the planet." She says rolling her eyes.

"Really, Well if can handle the so called hardest, coolest but most obnoxious boy in school then he should be so easy." Alex said laughing.

"True, very true" sabrina says nodding.

By now we had walked out into the quad area. And I was admiring the view. When somebody called out to Sabrina, and she turned to talk to this girl with platinum streaked blonde hair. Alex was so busy watching people pass by that she didn't hear Sabrina when she started talking to her.

"Alex," She yelled.

"Oh sorry, what did you say?" Alex asked.

"Is it okay with you, if I go to the library with Julie, she needs some help with her Biology homework?"

"Yeah sure, just tell me the way to get to math and I'll meet you there." Alex said.

"Really, oh you're brilliant. Right you go through that door there," she says pointing to a door on the opposite side of the quad. "The turn left and up the stairs on it the first door on your left. Got that?"

"Yup, Sabrina I'll be fine! Plus I wanna enjoy the rest of lunch out here first."

"Good, thanks Alex." And she and that Julie girl heading off in the opposite direction.

Alex walked slowly watching the people pass by, when a come across a bench with a gang full of boys sitting there, and she wish she really hadn't gone this way now. Especially since, as she doesn't know them and she's not with Sabrina. Hang on, I'm not insecure. Their just a bunch of very sad teenage boys who prey on the weak and I, Alex Russo are not weak.

Alex walked very fast pass them. And got about half way when one of them jumps up and grabs her arm.

"Oh, Hands off the jacket its Gucci and I've just had this washed and I don't need some stupid junkie germs on it," Alex hissed at him.

"Yeah, okay you're that new girl aren't you? The one that hangs around with Spellman?" He sneers.

"So what if I am?" Alex asked fiercely.

Nobody calls her the new girl, insults her friend and her intelligence all in the same sentence and gets away with it.

"Well, see here's the thing. I quite like the look of you and your mate, and I can't' decide which one of you I want." He sneers and all of his little cronies snort with laughter.

Alex opens her mouth to reply when suddenly he lets go.

"It's him!" One of them hisses.

"I'm outta here." Another one shouts and with-in half a second they're all gone.

What in the hell just happened? Alex turns around to see what the hell could have scared them all away and…

"Oh it's you." Alex says slightly disappointed at who she was seeing.

"I just saved your life you could at least be a little more grate-full." Conner says in a sarcastic manner.

"Yeah, well I didn't need 'saving' as you so kindly put it, I was doing quite well on my own thank you very much." Alex says clenching her fists.

"Yeah well next time I won't bother then!" He throws at her.

"Don't," Alex yelled back.

"Whatever!" They both shout at the same time, in perfect unison too.

He must have got so annoyed he turned around and headed in the opposite direction, and then yells back.

"Oh and don't take my seat next English lesson! Or will really embarrass you!"

And he completely stalks off.

What a jerk, did it look like I need to be saved? Well maybe it did but that's so not the point. Oh that guy is so arrogant, it makes me so angry.

Alex thinks her English teacher will be pleasantly surprised when she shows up for our next lesson early.

alex was so angry with Conner she could have punched him. She stomped into History five minutes early and Sabrina and Charles are already in their seats. They waved Alex over to their table and she takes a seat behind Sabrina who turns around.

"Um, Alex is there anything wrong exactly?" she asks.

"Why?" Alex snapped.

"Um, because your jacket looks a bit crumpled on the left arm and have grease stains, and you stomped in here." She said timidly.

Alex looked at Charles and he nods. Alex sighs, she didn't want to tell them but they are her friends.

"Well," Alex looked at Sabrina and Charles and sigh again "I was walking towards the double doors at the far end of the quad just like you, told me too," Sabrina nodded "I came across some stupid junkie boys on a bench…" Sabrina interrupted her halfway through her sentence.

"Were these boys all in black jackets and one of them have brown hair?" she asked.

I think, did they?

Alex really wasn't paying attention to what they were wearing or what color their hairs was, she was just wanted to get away from them and that's when Conner decided to show up.

"Alex," Charles says.

"What?" Alex snapped again.

"Your face went all twisted for a moment there." He says.

"Oh sorry, anyway I'm not sure Sabrina I really wasn't paying attention to them I was too busy making sure this guy didn't slime up my jacket which he already did so," Alex shrugged and try to straighten her jacket sleeve out. "Anyway who were they then?" Alex ask.

"They're the 'Turner Brothers.' They are all related to each other, you know brothers cousins etc. anyway their so called 'leader' asked me out to which I said no, and let me tell you this guy wont take no for answer," she says shaking her head.

"Don't I know" Alex say rolling her eyes.

"Anyway, he kept hassling me so Charles here and James when he eventually decides to show up had um, words…" she said giving me a small wink and Charles smiles and nods.

"So Alex do you need James and I to have words?" He says punching his fist against his hand.

"Nope," Alex say shaking her head.

"Why not," Sabrina asked.

"Because all this guy had to do was show up and they all ran away." Alex said.

"Let me guess? Hmmm…Does he have brown hair, wears expensive clothes, looks like a male model and have a very sarcastic attitude a bit like you?" Sabrina says grinning.

"I'm not anything like him!" Alex yell.

"I know that! Okay so we've worked out the source of the problem at least," she says.

"Wait," says Charles looking a little confused" Are we talking about Conner here?"

"Yes," Alex snapped giving him a death glare.

"Oh." Charles says looking at his feet.

I'm about to tell Charles not to open his mouth and come out with some stupid comment about how Conner supposedly likes me but the door opens and most of the class along with the teacher come marching in.

"We have a new student today. Her name's Alex Russo. Welcome Miss Russo. Miss Spellman, will you please explain to Alex which page we're on and what were doing. The rest of you will read pages 45-70 and write a report about the context of these pages until its time for you to go home." He sits down and everybody pulls out his or her books.

********Author Notes:

Just because they wear expensive clothes in this, it doesn't mean you have to think your local store doesn't make you look fabulous. Don't think you have anything to prove to anyone. Just be your vibrant and beautiful self. We all like inner beauty better anyhow.

Alex listened to Sabrina explain the work, but Alex really doesn't do anything she said she's too busy thinking about lunch and what she said to Conner, ok so maybe it was a bit mean to do that, he was only helping her out after all…

Wait is Alex starting to take back what she said to him? No! She doesn't need his help and never will. Alex was nodding and didn't even realize she was doing it.

"Yes Miss Russo, I'm glad you understand the work so you won't mind if I give you a homework essay then, just to catch you up?"

'Oh god! I've been thinking about what happened at lunchtime all the while the teachers been talking!'

Alex sat there and nodded again to show that understood what he said and he replies with a nod and he sits down again.

'Oh crap! I've just made a complete idiot of myself! Oh you just wait, I'll get Conner and I'll get you good.'

At the end of the day Alex marched straight out of the room to breathe, it was so stuffy in there it could make anyone fall asleep.

"Hey what's the big rush?" Sabrina says catching up to Alex.

"Nothing, I was falling asleep in there!" Alex says yawning.

"Yeah it's kinda stuffy after a double lesson." She says grinning.

"So which way do you go home?" She asks as we begin walking down the stairs.

"Oh I'm getting a lift from my dad today, but tomorrow I'll be walking," Alex say seeing her face drop. "I live in Portland Street."

"Oh! I only live a few roads from there! Hey wanna meet me at the end of your road in the morning and we can walk together?" She says bouncing off the end step.

"Sure," I grin.

"Perfect." She says nodding and by now we're almost out of the school grounds.

Alex sees her dad waiting in the car on the other side of the road.

"Well I'll see you in the morning," Alex says glumly.

"Yep, "she walks straight down the street and turns around and shouts "Bye Alex!" and waves

"Bye!" Alex says waving back.

Alex crossed the road and get into the car with a huge grin on her face. Her dad of course smirks, because he thinks that he has been proved right again.

"So it wasn't that bad then?" He says seeing the grin on his daughter's face "And I see you made a friend."

"Your right I did make a friend and she shares the same opinion as me, I'm afraid father dearest." Alex says trying so hard no to laugh.

"Oh yes? And what exactly is that?" He laughs.

"That all schools are crap." Alex says nodding.

He laughs at me. Maybe he is right maybe school isn't that bad after all. My car ride was very enjoyable, Alex was in such a good mood that she let her dad talk about his job, which she had never let him do in front of her before. He talked and was very happy and Alex too was happy to listen for a change. Sabrina had given her her phone number earlier that day so that she could ring her if she got bored.

Alex arrived home and looked up at her house, it was one of those old Victorian ones, which she didn't mind because it looked so stylish and rustic from the outside and the plus was it had three bedrooms and two bathrooms one upstairs and one down stairs. The lounge room was huge as was the kitchen and the garden was huge for which she was thankful foe because of her pet dog Jasmine.

Alex opened the front door with her key, and she could hear the scraping of claws against the wooden floor and Jasmine came running into view and jumped on her, nearly knocking her over.

"Hey, girl," Alex says scratching her ears and she barks loudly and goes up the stairs to wait in Alex's room.

"Seems like she really missed you today," Alex's dad says as he walked through the front door.

"Yup, I mean with this face, who wouldn't?" Alex says grinning at him and he laughs.

"You are such a cheeky girl at times Alex," he says ruffling her hair.

"Hey! Don't touch the hair!" Alex says putting her hands on top of my head.

He laughs, as he walks through to the kitchen.

Alex puts down her school bag and stretch.

"Oh damn, I'm sorry Alex I have to go out for while. Will you okay here by yourself?" General Russo says re-appearing.

"Yeah, I could un-pack some of these boxes, or do my homework essay I guess." Alex says shrugging.

"Good, I've bought some food so you'll have to cook your own dinner. And here's your allowance for being such a good girl this weekend." He says as he hands her some money.

"Thanks dad." Alex says taking the money and handing him his car keys.

"I'll see you later," he says shutting the front door.

Alex yawns, and plunks her self on the sofa.

'I don't know what to do with my self. I really don't, I just keep thinking about lunchtime. Maybe I shouldn't have been that hard on Conner? Look there I go again feeling sorry for him! I really shouldn't have time to think to myself, it doesn't do my mental health any good. Especially when I start feeling sorry for a guy like that.'

Alex gets up and goes into the kitchen to see what her dad left for her and its soup.

'He knows I hate soup.'

Alex rolls her eyes and thought that she could go to the store and see what they have.

'Yeah I'll do that,' Alex grab her keys and her mobile and lock the door and trotted down the driveway.

Alex walks out onto the main road and thinks the surround neighborhood is so pretty, all the houses have front gardens but ours have those white little picket fences and a has a single blossom tree. And its spring, so there's blossom petals all over the pavement and road. It really looks like something out of a picture book.

Alex was having a lovely little walk to the corner store. Alex walked in and looked around, she grabbed the latest magazine and some chocolate along with a few groceries that she needed to make some kind of respectable dinner with.

Alex pays for it with most of her allowance and walk out of the shop; Alex thinks everything is going well until….

"Hey girlie," Shouts some guy from behind her.

Alex turns and she sees the same guys she saw at the lunch tables.

"I thought it was you!" The brown headed one shouts.

"And," Alex says.

"And, I want to have a little chat with you that's all." He says starting to walk towards her.

"Yeah well you can talk to me from where you're standing, unless you want your face smashed in." Alex spat at him.

"Okay, have it your way." He says stopping and holding his hands up.

"Well?" Alex asked impatiently.

"Well, I was just wondering what was going on between you and Conner." He says.

"Nothing," Alex says.

"Good, because I was planning to get you to go out with me," He says smirking.

"Oh really," Alex say as if she was talking to a five year old and the boy nods.

"Well, unfortunately I wouldn't dream of coming with-in ten feet of you. And I suggest if you don't want to have another little 'chat'," Alex say making hyphen signs with my hands "With Charles and James then you stay well away from me." He screws up his face at her, and than she turns and stalk off before he can get a chance to answer.

Alex turns a corner without looking where she was going and bump right into someone, and falls straight over.

"Sorry," says someone, it sounds like a guy.

"No, it's my fault;" Alex says "I wasn't looking where I was going."

And than Alex lifts her head up and her mouth nearly drops when she sees who it is.

"That doesn't really surprise me I have to say," Conner says with a smirk on his face holding out his hand to help her up.

"You," Alex says, as he pulls her up.

"Yes?" He asked.

Alex was not too sure about this at first and then she looks down and he's still holding her hand, he notices too and let's go immediately and we both take a step backwards.

"Look," Alex says catching his attention, "I'm sorry for what I said at lunch I shouldn't have over reacted."

"No not really," He says.

"Look! I'm trying to apologize here!" Alex yelled at him.

"I know," he says smirking.

"Good, so…what I'm trying to say is I'm great-full for your help." Alex says.

"No problem." He says and just when I think he's finished speaking he opens his mouth again. "Don't let it happen again." And with that he walks around me, like he's the king of the world of something to that effect. It takes me a moment or two to let it sink in and then I open my mouth and shout.

"You JERK!" Alex yelled at his retreating back.

"Whatever, See ya Russo." Conner shouts back at her.

And he walks around the corner and out of sight. Alex stands there opened mouthed.

'How does he know my name exactly? And besides it felt really odd when he was holding my hand like that. I was almost flying or that's what it felt like anyway.'

Alex snaps to her senses immediately because she hear sounds of male voices and she think it's the Turners back to have another go, so she started to run.

'I'll think about Conner and his stupid ness when I get home.'

When Alex reached her driveway her dad's cars was already there. Alex walked into the house slamming the door, walked straight into the kitchen slamming the bag down on the counter and then out again and went straight up to her room slamming her bedroom door and collapse on her bed.

'Why does he make me this angry?'

Alex woke up the next morning hungry, having gone to bed without dinner. She must have fallen asleep while being angry with Conner, the complete jerk that he is. Alex turns over to look at her beside clock, and its only 6:30 am. She might as well get up and have a shower before school. She accidentally had fallen asleep in her clothes last night. She swung her legs over the side of bed and went to stand up and got a head rush.

'Great, now I have a headache, I'll never go to bed without dinner again. Damn you Conner.'

Alex traipses out of her room, holding the wall like she was handicapped and couldn't walk or like she was totally drunk and couldn't walk straight. Her dad's still in bed thankfully, he'll probably have a go at her for going to bed without dinner.

Half an hour later Alex dressed in a two thousand dollar Alexander McQueen dress and was completely done with her shower. Alex walked into the kitchen with her school bag packed and was in the middle of making coffee, one for herself and one for her dad as a little apology for last night. Plus she doesn't think that slamming the doors and other stuff could have helped his mood.

Alex timidly walk up the stairs carrying a hot mug of coffee, she knocked on her dad's bedroom door and found there was no one answer. So she opens the door finding the bed had already been made, having not being slept in. Alex walk in further, and some of the drawers are open and his wardrobe is also open with some of the clothes missing.

Alex dropped the cup in horror and it smashes. 'Where has he gone?'

Alex runs out of the room, leaving the mug lying on the floor with the contents spilled. She runs to the other end of the landing to look out of the window. Her dad's car was still there but there were tire tracks left behind her dad's car, it looked as if who ever they were was only here for a short while.

Alex ran downstairs, and into the living room, where there's blood all over the floor and sofa. She switches on the T.V. immediately. There as plain as day is the reason my dad's not here, the reason most of his clothes are gone and the reason there's blood everywhere.

There's another war.

The United State Army is at war with some kind of resistance faction in another country. And my dad is a General of the United States Army must have been dragged away in the middle of the night. Which is odd, because he always gets called or something…

'Wait, he would have a left a note! Surely they would have let him leave a note?'

Alex ran all over the house looking for one. In all the rooms, even the bathroom. There's nothing. Nothing. He's gone. And she might never see him again.

'Damn it! Why did I have to fall asleep! I could have at least been there! Yeah I wouldn't have been able to do anything but still! At least I could have said goodbye. Damn it! I feel asleep! And this is my entire fault! Hang on, it's not MY fault I fell asleep…Conner! It's his! I'll murder him! It's his fault for all of it!'

Alex grabbed her bags and keys, switch the T.V. off and ran out of the door, locking it behind her.

'God, there's even blood on the porch.'

Alex run down the driveway, and half way to school and stop to catch her breath. When she sees a woman crying in the street. Alex approach her and as she bend down to ask what the matter was, she lifts her head. And it's obvious she's been badly beaten.

"Your, father," she says sobbing, "He's General Russo, yes?"

Alex was too shocked for words. So instead she nods.

"He was dragged off by the Army in the early hours of this morning with my husband." She says "I saw him for a brief moment and he asked me to check on you this morning but I just couldn't make it past the drive way, I'm sorry dear." And she starts sobbing again.

Alex was too lost for words. But decide she should speak to her.

"Um, thanks," Alex said patting her on the back a bit. "It's okay I'm fine really. I'm just going to school like normal and try to get on with life while my dad's away." Alex says trying to re-assure herself.

"You're very brave, my son was wounded badly trying to fight these men off and he's gone to school this morning too." She says, "He looked awful but I think he decided he'd rather have something to do, than sit at home and mope."

"Well, I'm going to be late, but do you want me to help you inside?" Alex asked.

"No, no dear I'm fine. You get off to school now. Go." She says picking herself up and limping back off up the drive.

Alex watched her go sadly and than she started walking back up the street, unaware that someone had been watching her all this time.

Alex got to school ten minutes later. she walked to her locker where a very angry looking Sabrina was standing with her hands on her hips with Charles beside her.

"Forget something this morning Alex?" She asks, acidly.

"I'm sorry, Sabrina. I've had a really bad night okay?" Alex says with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Alex, Oh my god, what's wrong?" She squeaks and Charles leans forward a bit more.

"Can we go somewhere private?" Alex asked, as all the people walking past are starting to stare.

Sabrina and Charles walk her to an empty classroom and Alex walked in and sat down and totally collapse on the desk crying.

"Alex," Sabrina says putting her hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah, tells us what's up." Charles says.

Alex lifted her head to say, "You had better sit down this is gonna take a while."

"First I get in from school and my dad and I are getting on really well. The suddenly he takes off, saying he has to go somewhere. I think this is not normal but I ignore it since he gave me my allowance. I then see what my dad has left me for dinner and decided to go to the corner store to get some food that I actually like and I have a run-in with the Turners," Alex sniffed.

"Oh Alex," Sabrina gasps.

"That's not the half of it!" Alex wails, "I managed to escape them by stalking off and run right into a corner without looking and into Conner of all people and he was such a jerk I ended up going home in a really bad mood. My dad's car was in the driveway when I got back and I didn't think anything of it apart from you know the usual 'oh he's back' kinda thing." Alex paused for breath and Charles and Sabrina nod.

"Anyway I went to my room and slammed the door, and was so angry I must have fallen asleep because I didn't have dinner." Alex says.

"And lemme guess," Charles says, "Your dad got really angry at you started shouting at you."

"Well that's what I thought he would do," Alex gulped a little, "If he had actually been there to do it." Alex wailed. "I took him a cup of coffee to say sorry this morning and when I walked into his room, the bed was still made most of his clothes were missing and when I went to look in the lounge there was blood on the sofa and the floor!" Alex yelled hopelessly.

Charles's horrified and Sabrina puts her arms around Alex to give her a hug.

"Thanks, but the point is he was dragged away from the house this morning by the United States Army, and they got a couple of other guys too." Alex yell punching the table as hard as she can.

"The Army," Charles says standing up, "Yours dads part of them?"

"Yeah, He's a General." Alex say putting her head down on the desk.

"Alex, I'm so sorry," Charles says.

"Never Mind, I'm fine." Alex say wiping her face and standing up.

"Shall we go to lessons? The bells about to ring." Alex said.

"Alex," Sabrina starts.

"I told you I'm fine." Alex says firmly but she's really not.

Maybe this lesson thing wasn't good idea after all. Alex had her first two lessons without Sabrina and Charles. Alex was thinking about bunking but when she walked in the teacher hands her a note and said's that she's excused from lessons today and that she should go home.

'Typical the one place I don't want to be. I have to be. Crap. Oh well I guess I could go street raking for a while.'

First Alex went to Sabrina's locker and slipped a note in explaining that she's been excused from lessons and that she's going home. Then she walked out of the school alone.

Alex walked down the steps; passing latecomers who give her the oddest of stares but she ignore them and keep walking. I turn and look up at the school before I carry on down the street. Alex passed people who keep giving her hard stares as if to say, "You should be in school." But they say nothing. She stopped and look across the road and there's a park on the other side of the road.

'I guess I could take a short cut through here, I mean its not like I'm expected home or anything.'

Alex walked into the park, where there are various trees and small children playing with their mothers. Alex walked straight past them trying not to look as if she's staring. She really missed her mom. Alex walked over and sat on a bench far away from everyone else. She took out her notepad and started to sketch random things that cross her mind, like the photograph in her living room of her mom, dad, Justin, Max and herself.

Alex checked her watch; Sabrina and Charles are probably half way through lessons now. Alex sighed.

"I wish I could go back to school." Alex said out loud without thinking.

"So do I?"

Alex looked up at the person who answered her. His face is obscured by the sunlight but she could tell that it was Conner. There he was wearing a black Hugo Boss t-shirt, and a pair of Missoni denim jeans.

'God he's gorgeous.'

But she really was not in the mood for his attitude right now.

"Thanks," He says before Alex could reply.

"For what," Alex says bewildered.

"For being so nice to my mom this morning," He answers and as he moves out of the sunlight to sit down she could see the scars and bruises across his face.

"That was your..." Alex say.

"Yeah," he says quietly.

Alex sat there astounded, how can a woman so nice have a son like him? She means it, he's rude, he's sarcastic, obnoxious he's…just like her…

"Does your father go away alot then?" He asks, not looking at her.

"Yeah, I've been forced to move around a lot because of different wars in different states or countries…" Alex said looking at her feet.

"Yeah same here. I've only been in this town just over a year now." He say's looking up at the sky.

"Really," Alex say shocked and he just shrugs at her.

"Yup," He says frowning "But hey at least we still got our moms right?"

This is an obvious sad attempt to try and cheer her up. If my mom was still around it would have worked but instead it made Alex even more miserable. She felt tears prick her beautiful eyes. For the first time in years she had the obvious signs of crying but she didn't cry when her mom actually left. Maybe because she was a teenager then but still…

"Russo," He says looking at her directly.

Alex couldn't even manage to speak, so she just shook her head instead.

"She's not…" He starts.

Alex nodded again.

"Listen, I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you or anything."

"Don't worry about it." Alex mange to spit out, eventually, looking up at him.

And Alex tears her gaze away to watch a small child and his mother pass by, still quite aware that Conner was watching her.

"Let's get out of here." He says standing up immediately.

"But where do we go?" Alex says.

"To your house," He says, pulling her up.

"But, my house is a mess most of the stuff still in boxes anyway." Alex say shaking her head.

"Well then that's something to keep us occupied isn't it?" He says "Which way is it?"

He looks at her and she's in a state of shock.

'Why does he have to be this nice? But I preferred things the way they were.'

I want to go home and talk to Jasmine…

"Jasmine!" Alex suddenly screams.

"Who," Conner says.

"My dog, I was in such a panic I forgot about her!" Alex wails at him.

"Well like I said which ways your house?" He says.

Alex wanted to go home yes, but she didn't want to be alone. So she found herself pointing the direction of her house.

"Well that's a start," He sighs "Hey don't leave that behind, that drawings quite good."

Alex looks behind her and her notepad's still lying open on the bench. She grabbed it and shove it into her bag.

"You didn't see that! Got it?" Alex said frowning at him.

"Whatever." He says stalking off.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Alex yelled at him, running to catch up.

We walk for about half an hour and finally we reach my driveway.

Alex looked up at her house, it was as she left it that morning.

Alex started walking up the driveway and Conner follows. She puts her house key in the lock and she could hear Jasmine barking. Alex opened the door and she runs at Conner immediately growling.

"Jasmine!" Alex yelled at her.

She backs away, and Alex run over to her and stroke on the head several times. She retreats and goes to Alex's room where she always is if she needs her.

"Sweet dog," Conner says "Knows when to protect her master."

"Yeah especially from strange men like you," Alex said smirking, and looking like a five year old sticking her tongue out.

"Since when was I strange to you," He says leaning in.

"Since the day I met you Conner," Alex said leaning in more, while her heart beat faster. "And besides everyone knows the female sex has more brains than men anyway." Alex said laughing and standing up right.

Conner laughs too. Alex didn't expect him too. But he did, Alex expected him to have a go at her or something. Alex went over to the door and shut it.

"You want a drink?" Alex asked to him.

"Yeah," He says dropping his bag.

Alex walks into the kitchen, and found the paper bag she slammed on the sideboard last night on the kitchen table instead. She takes out all of the items that she bought last night and one particular item happens to be soda.

"Here," Alex say throwing him a can.

"Thanks," He says as he opens it.

He pulls back the pull ring and where Alex threw it, it must have fizzed or something because his t-shirt in now soaked in diet-soda. She couldn't help but laugh.

"This is not funny Alex," he says laughing himself. "Your incapable throwing ability has landed me with a soda stained shirt."

"Oh well, I'm sorry your Highness. Would you like me to clean it up for thee?" Alex says smirking at him.

"Naturally," He's says folding his arms.

Alex laughed and fetched a wet cloth from the sink.

"Well?" He says.

"Well what?" Alex says back.

alex really should have kept her mouth shut.

Is wet shirt is sticking to his chest. And this is embarrassing to her.

"Begin your cleaning then." He says laughing.

"Do it yourself," Alex say holding out the dishcloth.

"Uh why, it was your fault." He says frowning.

Alex's eyes trail down, and so does he. He immediately snatches the dishcloth from her, and she laughs, it was his turn to be embarrassed. Alex goes over to the laundry basket and fetch him one of her dad's shirts and hand it to him.

"Here," Alex say holding it out to him.

"What do I need this for?" He retorts.

"Well unless you don't want Jasmine licking your chest I suggest you put that on." Alex say smirking at him.

"Whatever," he mutters.

The doorbell rings, and we both look at the kitchen door.

Previous on Take Me Out…

Alex gets left home all alone thanks to Conner making her angry and her falling asleep. Her father is off fighting in another war. But just around the corner it seems Conner and Alex are growing closer together. Now they have unexpected guest and it gets juicy.

"You put that on and I'll answer the door." Alex says quickly making her exit.

"But it's a Nautica button-up shirt. It isn't anything I even wear." Conner complained being a little picky.

"Just live with it." Alex said.

'Okay , so he's impossibly handsome and a touch conceited, but he wears it so well.'

'God that was so embarrassing', Alex walked to the front door and opened it.

"Sabrina, Charles," Alex yelled.

"Hey, we bunked off for the rest of the day so we could spend it cheering you up." Sabrina says with a really big grin on her face.

"I don't need you too really I'm fine just going back to school okay?" Alex says rather quickly.

"Alex, what's going on…?" Sabrina starts but she stops she's staring at something behind Alex's body.

"Who is it then?" Conner says, Alex turns around and there he is buttoning up the clean shirt she gave him.

"Looks like she doesn't need us to cheer up Sabrina," Charles says giving her a nudge.

"It's not like that!" Alex yells at Charles.

Alex could have died right there on the spot.

"What are they doing here?" Conner says looking at Sabrina and Charles in the doorway.

"We could ask you the same question." Sabrina says raising her eyebrows at him.

"No, not really," He says shrugging.

"Alex, is he saying what I think he's saying?" Sabrina says looking at Alex horrified.

"No!" Alex screamed at her.

'I could have died right there on the spot, I mean Sabrina and Charles have just caught Conner, the supposed loner in the school coming out of my kitchen half naked!'

"So then what's he doing here?" Charles says raising his eyebrows at Alex.

"I, well…I just…" Alex stutters.

"She was sitting in the middle of Woodlands Park, alone and I decided to come home with her to give her a bit of company, okay?" Conner says giving them both very hard stares.

"And a private strip show?" Charles says to him smirking.

Alex looked at Sabrina for help and she's laughing silently. Sabrina looks at Alex and laughs even more.

"No!" Alex screamed, "I threw him a can of soda okay? It fizzed and ruined his shirt so I gave him one of my dads!"

"Yeah, okay Alex Ruuusssssooo." Sabrina says giving her a small wink. "We believe you right Charles?"

"Yeah, sure, it's not like they could be up to anything in this big house all alone huh?" Charles says smirking.

Alex looked around at Conner for help, and while Sabrina and Charles are laughing their heads off and giving here winks, as if to 'say follow my lead."

"Fine, I confess you caught us." Conner says fighting down a smirk.

"Yeah," Alex said sighing.

"I knew it!" Charles says punching the air.

Alex smirked at Conner, whose happen to be trying not to laugh as well.

"Yeah, we did it there, there and over there." Alex says pointing to different parts of the room.

This shuts Sabrina and Charles up, and they both stop to stare at her.

"Alex, we were only kidding!" Sabrina says shocked.

"Good," Alex says smirking. "So were we."

"You," Sabrina says shocked.

"Well, you did deserve that!" Alex smirked at her.

"How did we?" Charles asked.

"Guess." Alex said giving him a pointed look

"Alex," Conner says.

"Yeah," Alex said turning around.

"I need the bathroom," He says giving her a hard stare

"Why?" Alex asked.

"Why do you think?" He says through gritted teeth.

'Why could he possibly want the toilet? He hasn't drunk anything, but then again he might have had a drink before he came out…'

"Alex," He yells at her. Charles and Sabrina laughed and Alex stared at him blankly.

"Yes?"

"Bathroom," He says again.

"Oh, straight up the stairs, third door on you left." Alex said to him.

"Thank you," He says dashing up the stairs.

Alex watch him go, he seemed to walk in stride with grace. She heard Sabrina and Charles sniggering from behind her.

"What?" Alex asked turning to look at them.

"Somebody likes Conner." Sabrina says dancing through the front door.

"Me?" Alex asked looking at her dumbfounded.

"No, Charles." She says smirking and putting her hands on her hips.

"Really," Alex says turning to look at him raising her eyebrows.

"No Alex, you," She yells.

"Yeah okay," Alex said walking past her into the kitchen.

"You do!" She yells at Alex as she and Charles stomp their way into the kitchen.

"No I do not for the last time." Alex sighed.

"Fine, we believe you." Charles says.

"What?" Sabrina says as she turns on him.

"Yeah, at least I believe her. I'm not too sure about him though." He says smirking.

"Whatever." Alex say to him, "You guys want a soda or something?"

"Are you gonna throw one at them then? See if you can aim for their shirts?" Conner says announcing his arrival back from the bathroom.

"As a matter of fact I am. But this time I might make aim for Charles model hairstyle." Alex scowled at Conner.

"So, Alex nice house," Sabrina says changing the subject.

"Thanks," Alex smile at her.

"My house is one of those modern ones on the other side of town." Sabrina says sighing and looking around the kitchen.

"Mine too." Says Charles. "We got one of those, but we have a garage where I can practice my…"

"Karate," Sabrina and Alex say grinning at him and he nods.

"So what about you Conner?" Sabrina asks.

"I live a couple of blocks away, so my house is pretty much the same as this." He says shrugging.

"Cool." Charles says.

We sort of stare at each other for a moment.

'I wonder what's going to come up as a topic next.'

"So, who wants to unpack some of these boxes then?" Sabrina says bouncing up and down

"Sure," Alex nodded.

Charles, Sabrina are lead into the living room by Conner.

'This is just great I have my arch enemy is my house with my friends and their getting along, and after that little misunderstanding too. This is awful! First of all I don't want Conner in my house! Secondly I don't want him getting along with my friends! Last of all I don't want to be accused of liking anyone especially by Sabrina of all people. Okay, this is not good.'

Alex feels anger, hate and amusement all at once.

'I hate all men; including Charles he is not helping my mood at the moment by giving me constant looks and raising his eyebrows. I feel anger because Conner is in my house pretending to be 'cool', I feel hate because Sabrina and Charles keep exchanging glances and going off into a silent fit of giggles and amusement because somehow I find this whole episode funny.'

Charles is talking about his karate, Alex tries not being rude or anything but she wish he would shut the hell up about his stupid karate. Sabrina seems to be in her own little world and not listening as Alex is and Conner seems to be listening but not taking much because he's unpacking boxes and has the occasional glance at Alex.

'He's staring at me. And again. And now he's doing it again, so I'm gonna stare him out.'

"She's so pretty!" Sabrina suddenly gasps.

Sabrina has obviously come across a photo of her mom. Alex looked at her with a blank expression on her face.

"Alex, she looks like just like you," She says with a huge grin on her face "Is this your mom?" She asks.

"Yeah," Alex said silently beginning to unpack another box.

'I'm quite aware that everyone staring at me but I couldn't care less.'

"Where is she Alex?" Sabrina asks.

"Does anyone want anything to eat?" Alex says standing up quickly, "No? Okay just me then." Alex said walking into the kitchen.

Alex opened the door and shut it quickly behind her. Alex sighed she didn't know why she couldn't tell her my mom is gone during her family's divorce because she didn't condone her husband killing people for a living. It isn't hard to tell when anyone else asks. Not even when Conner said something about it, maybe it's because her dad's not here.

Alex walked over to the cupboard and took out a glass and poured herself some juice. She's just drinking the last of it when she decided she should go back into the living room.

As Alex entered, they all look up at her.

"Alex, I'm sorry" Says Sabrina looking very upset.

"Hey, don't worry about it you didn't know." Alex say waving her hand at Sabrina.

"Are you sure?" She asks anxiously and Alex nodded.

"Are we still friends?" She asks.

"No, you are now my worst enemy," Alex stated sarcastically.

"Really," Sabrina says in shock.

"No, he is though." Alex says pointing at Conner.

"Whatever," Conner says shrugging.

Charles, Sabrina and Alex laughed and Conner just grins like an idiot. He is usually so grumpy and sarcastic Alex isn't used to this.

"I've decided something." Sabrina announces.

"What?" Alex asked.

"It may be a school night, but I don't want to leave you here alone so I'm gonna stay the night." She grins at Alex.

"But," Alex says.

"No but's coming from you thank you very much." She says as if that finalizes the matter.

"Fine, me too," Charles chimes in.

"What about you?" Sabrina says rounding on Conner.

"He doesn't have to if he doesn't want to." Alex said folding her arms.

"You don't want me here then?" He says.

"Nope, I don't." Alex says shaking her head.

Charles gives a small cough that sounded oddly like "You do"

"Well seen as you don't, I will have to stay just to annoy you even more." Conner says smirking.

"Fine," Alex say rolling her eyes.

"Now all we need is James." Charles said triumphantly.

"Letterman," Conner says in disgust.

"Yeah," Charles says staring at him.

"Got a problem with him or something?" Sabrina says giving him an equally hard stare.

"Well yeah," Conner says.

"Like what?" Sabrina hisses at him.

At this point in time Alex had no idea what's going on, she mean what is his problem with James? Yeah she never met the guy but still….

"Well if Alex wants a womanizing pervert in her house you go right ahead and invite him." Conner snaps at the pair of them.

'Ah. So that's the problem although Conner's opinions of people have never been truly accurate.'

"Well Alex?" Sabrina says rounding on Alex.

"Well what?" Alex asked.

"Do you want us to invite James?" She asked.

"Um yeah, go right ahead. He sounds okay enough." Alex said.

"See? Someone's willing to give him a chance." Sabrina says looking at Conner just rolls his eyes.

"Mind if I use your phone Alex? He should be at home by now," Sabrina said briefly.

"Sure go right ahead." Alex say, "The phones in the hall, it should be connected by now or else you could you use my mobile."

Sabrina nods and with another hard stare at Conner and than she leaves the room.

"Don't mind her," Charles says nodding to Sabrina. "She's always had a bit of thing for James."

'Aaaah now I understand! That's why she was sticking up for him! Oh I have to bring this in a conversation in the near future.'

"Alex, why are you grinning evilly?" Charles asked laughing.

"Oh it's nothing too hazardous to your health." Alex says with an angelic look on her face.

Charles laughs and Conner just stares at her, and Alex just pokes him in the stomach, he flinches and it comes to a hard muscular abs, she retracts her finger and sticks her tongue out at him.

"Could you be anymore childish?" He says looking at Alex.

"Oh yeah, I have more up my sleeve than that." Alex says smirking.

Conner opens his mouth to reply when Sabrina comes bouncing into the room.

"James's on his way," She says with a grin. "I had to give him directions here; you don't mind do you Alex?"

"No, of course not, the more the merrier," Alex say smiling at everyone.

"Hear, Hear!" Charles says punching the air.

Conner stood there in brooding silence. Alex laughs and so does Sabrina.

'This is going to be fun, my first sleepover but under the circumstances it's kinda sad. But I'm going to enjoy it nonetheless.'

Alex knew she said she found this whole thing funny, but now she takes it back. Because this is not funny anymore, she's actually starting to get very annoyed with Charles and Sabrina. They're laughing because of one of her stupid slip-ups. It wasn't her fault! Okay so maybe she should have learned her lesson from last time but still it is kinda funny from another person's point of view.

"Sorry," Alex said.

"I thought maybe you'd learned your lesson from last time. But oh no you had to throw it didn't you?" Conner scowled at Alex.

'Okay so maybe I should stop throwing stuff people I'm a crappy at thrower anyways, maybe that's why it exploded all over him again, and besides how he dare he talk to me that why in my own house.'

"Oh no Conner your right I just had to throw it at you and embarrass you. I don't know what came over me. It's just what I wanted to, do haven't you heard?" Alex said to him frowning.

This make Sabrina and Charles laugh even harder, Alex looked down at Sabrina who completely collapsed on the floor holding her stomach and then at Charles who's holding onto the wall for support.

"I'm glad you both find this so amusing." Alex says to the pair of them and they literally wet themselves.

'What's s funny about me throwing him a can and it exploding? Honestly you'd think I'd made friends with a pair of 5 year olds.'

"Alex,"

"What?" Alex snapped at Conner.

"Shirt, maybe," He says.

"Oh yeah, hang on." Alex says.

Alex took one last look at Sabrina and Charles who are still wetting themselves and sigh. Alex turned around and opens the door into the kitchen. She goes over to the laundry basket and pick out another one of her dad's shirts. This is his favorite t-shirts by Jil Sander so she'd better not throw anything else at Conner, if she can help it. She grabs the Jil Sander Blazer hanging on the hook.

Alex walked back into the living room and Sabrina and Charles were still laughing.

"Will you two ever shut up?" Alex said handing the Jil Sander t-shirt & Jil Sander Blazer to Conner.

And they laughed even harder.

'What is so bloody funny? Honestly.'

"I'm going to the bathroom to put this on," Conner announces to Alex, the Nautica button-up shirt was honed in on his steel like abs. "See if you can shut them up while I'm gone." His muscular broad shoulders were retreating up the stairs.

"Fine," Alex said as she thought with the fresh picture of his abs.

"Do shut up the pair of you this is starting to get old." Alex said putting her hands on her hips.

They both look at her and start laughing again and the doorbell rings.

"Good grief," Alex says shaking her head and walking into the hallway to answer the door.

When she open the door Alex sees a guy with long-ish brown hair like Billy Ray Cyrus he had on a long coat from what looked like the most expensive thing he had on it's by Robert Cavalli, and a pink button- up Abercrombie & Fitch shirt and ripped American Eagle jeans on. He looks like he doesn't live in the high society part like she and her friends does.

"Can I help you?" Alex asked sarcastically.

"You must be Alex, right?" He says smiling and Alex nodded.

"Sabrina told me you were a bit sarcastic." He says.

"Sabrina, Oh you must be James!" Alex said surprised.

"James Letterman at your service." He says bowing to Alex

"Please to meet you." Alex said trying hard not to laugh.

"May I come in?" James asked smirking at her.

"Of course!" and Alex stepped aside to let him in.

He strolls into her hallway and looks around, Alex shows him into the living room where Sabrina and Charles had calmed down slightly.

"James!" Charles says trying to stand up.

"Yes?" James says eyeing them both with mild disgust at least She's not the only one who finds them both childish.

"You'll never guess who else is here!" Charles gasps.

"Who," Says James staring at them both, immediately paying his full attention to them both. He obviously thinks there's another girl in the house.

"Conner…McLeod!" Sabrina pants.

"What?" James says in disgust and looks at Alex.

"What the hell is he doing here?" James demands.

"Because Alex was having a bit of a hard time okay," Says a voice from behind her.

"Yeah sure she was McLeod." James says sarcastically.

'What the hell is going on?' Alex looked at Sabrina for help and she shakes her head immediately.

"At least I'm not some womanizing pervert." Says Conner said his face hardening.

"No you're just some loser who goes around the school on his own and never makes friends with anyone." James retorts.

'I don't want a fight in my house; even though I'm sure I wanna see who wins.'

Conner opens his mouth to shout back.

"HEY!" Alex shout at the pair of them and they both look at her.

"This is my house and I'll say who I want in here or not, that right is not given to either of you! Understand?" Alex says looking at the pair of them.

"Yeah, sorry Alex," James says bowing in front on her, begging for forgiveness.

Alex rolled her eyes and looked at Conner.

"What?" Conner says looking at her.

"Apology, maybe," Alex said starting to get annoyed

"I don't apologize to anyone." Conner says leaning against the doorframe.

"Well in this house you do." Alex said.

He snaps his attention back to me immediately and stands up straight.

"Alright, Sorry," He says.

"Not a proper one but never mind," Alex said "Well who's for food?"

"ME!" shouts Charles and dashes into the kitchen.

James nods to Alex and follows with Conner behind him who looks at her as he passes.

"Brave move Alex," Sabrina says from behind Alex.

"Huh?" Alex asked looking confused.

"Never Mind," She says shaking her head and walking into the kitchen

'What? What did I do wrong now? I mean I had to make them apologizes, didn't I?'

"Well, I'd better go get my stuff." Sabrina announces while we were all standing in the kitchen.

"No, you can borrow some of my PJ's" Alex said to her. "They might not fit but hey at least it saves you walking across town right?" Alex was just a tad bit taller than Sabrina.

"No, I can drive her," Conner said. "I brought the Jag."

"Okay but I think I rather go with James," Sabrina says smiling.

"You two can borrow my Ferrari." Alex said giving the car keys to them.

"Yeah, I gotta get my stuff too." Charles says looking a little nervous.

"I'll take Charles to pick up his stuff and get some pizzas on the way back." Conner replied.

Charles looked shocked, and so did Alex by his sudden kindness.

They walked out to the front of the Alex's house where the cars were parked.

"Man is that the XKR? That's what like a 100 grand? " Charles jumps into the front seat and rifled through the mp3 players music.

"Be careful man." Conner said scowling at Charles. "And you…" He looked at Alex.

"Lock the door while we are gone, we won't be gone long but just in case anything happens… there has been some gang activities recently and I don't want you to get hurt." Conner finished.

Alex heart was beating in her chest, 'was he concerned for her safety?'

His face was so close to hers. She could feel his breath on her cheek.

"What?" Alex says frowning at him. She was feeling insecure about her appearance.

"Nothing," He said brushing her hair and putting in behind her ear. "You look cute today is all."

Charles was so oblivious to what was going on he just ruined a perfectly good moment between them.

They backed out of the driveway as Alex waved.

James got back with Sabrina and dropped her off saying he'd be back soon after getting some stuff.

"So it's just us girl's." Alex said.

"Are you sure we'd be safe here by ourselves?" Sabrina asked.

"We have Jasmine to protect us." Alex said.

"Who's Jasmine?" Sabrina asked.

"Jasmine, come here girl," Alex called from the hallway and her dog barks happily.

Jasmine runs over to the rug with her tongue hanging out, she barks happily as she enters the room. Sabrina screams with delight when she sees Jasmine.

"Aww, Cute dog Alex," She says bending down to pat Jasmine on the head.

"Thanks, I've had her since my mom's divorce." Alex says to her and lowers her head a little. "No it's fine, my dad got her for me because I needed someone to play with and something to do with my time while he was away."

"And you've had her for?" Sabrina asked.

"About 2 years I guess." Alex said to her and Jasmine barks again.

"Who's a good girl then?" Sabrina says patting her on the head and Jasmine wags her tail and rolls on her back for Sabrina to stroke her stomach.

"She must really like you; she never does that for anyone but me." Alex said mildly impressed.

"I make quite the impression on people, didn't you notice?" Sabrina asked grinning.

"Oh yeah, obviously so do I," Alex said pointing out her sarcasm and we both start to laugh.

Sabrina is still really obsessed with my dog; she keeps patting her and scratching her ears, or rubbing her stomach.

'Just watching her is relaxing.'

"Alex," Sabrina says.

"What?" Alex asked looking at her.

"Door," She says frowning at her.

"The door, what about it," I say confused and then I hear the sound of the doorbell "Oh the door!"

"Yeah it's been ringing for ages!" She says laughing.

"Hey don't you start that again, it took half an hour for you to shut up last time." Alex say frowning at her.

"Fine, just go answer the damn door," She says.

"Fine, fine," Alex says waving her hand and walking out of the living room.

It's probably one of the guys.

"Alright, alright can't you hang on three second…?" Alex said as she opens the door.

"Funnily enough we can't, especially when people keep us hanging around for hours." A boy hisses at Alex and then sniggers.

It takes Alex a moment to register who this boy is, and then she realize that the boy that just hissed at her was the same one who grabbed her arm on the first the day at school, the boy who was rude to her outside of the store.

"You…" Alex voice trailed off.

"You thought we wouldn't find you here huh?" He says and all of his mates snigger.

Alex turned around to scream. But he grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth.

Alex bit down on his finger.

"Ow, bitch!" he smacked her and she fell onto the coffee table.

"We thought we'd be just a little more considerate so we thought we'd knock this time, since this is your house and all." He smirks. He whips out his belt.

"Alex what's…?" Sabrina says appearing at the door to the main room.

"Oh look it's the other one!" He jeers pointing up at Sabrina "You know what boys? I think I've made my decision, I want this one," He says pointing at her "I don't care which one of you has the other one."

Alex opened her mouth to shout at him, but nothing came out and she just lays there in horror.

"Going to say something were we?" He says taking a step closer and Alex doesn't move.

Alex doesn't look at him; she was focus on his gang of mates who are watching from behind whom are starting to look a little nervous and are starting to focus on something behind them.'

"Well?" He says moving even closer towering over her and Alex looked directly at him and then up at Sabrina who's standing there with a great smile on her face obviously she can see something she couldn't.

Alex shakes her head at him and look behind him again; his mates are running off across her lawn. 'I wonder why that is….'

"Good, this'll make my job a little easier." He says smirking.

"What job exactly?"

He turns around and Alex stares at who's in front of her.

"Yeah Charles and I are wondering what job what job you mean exactly." James says cracking his knuckles.

The gang leader stood there in silence. And then Conner walks over to him and throws and fast right hook punch that hits him in the face. "Don't ever come back here, do you hear me?" Conner snarled.

"And don't ever lay another finger on her." Charles shouted.

Alex laid there open mouthed, she couldn't believe this.

The Tuner boy staggers up and runs out of the front door immediately shouting something back at us that they couldn't hear.

"I don't…Where on earth did you three come from?" Alex voice wavered.

"Now Alex I thought you had already learned the facts of life?" James says smirking.

"That's not funny." Alex scowled at James.

"I have to agree with her James." Charles says shaking his head.

"Fine, I was trying to lighten the mood people." He says shrugging and going to shut the front door.

"Well you could always lighten the mood by trying not trying to lighten it, if you get my meaning?" Sabrina says reaching out to cradle Alex in her arms.

Alex started laughing, that's all she could do. She was still in shock.

'How did they know? And besides I think everyone knows how lucky it was that nothing actually happened or they all would have gotten into a fight.'

Everyone is still laughing; Alex looks around and realized how lucky she is to have friends like them.

"So Alex, what would you have done if we hadn't of shown up?" Charles asked folding his arms.

"I was just about to crack him one too." Alex says.

"Sure," Charles says rolling his eyes.

"Hey, you wanna piece of me?" Alex says putting her hands on her hips and everyone laughs again.

Now Alex really wished she hadn't agreed to this sleepover now, she feels like an idiot and James just had to bring scary movies with him. Well his definition of scary is different to hers. It's kid stuff, well maybe not because it scaring the living crap out of her. She supposed that's the whole idea though. James is a big pervert he brought scary movies to scare Sabrina so she'll cuddle up to him. Not like she wouldn't do that even without the scary movies. Alex laughed and everyone looks at her.

"What?" Says Charles from his spot on the floor.

Alex looks around at everyone. Sabrina who's cuddled up to James and is pale white, James who smirking his head off, Charles again who's giving Alex a puzzled look and then at Conner who raises his eyebrows at Alex.

"Nothing," Alex says clearing her throat and grabbing another slice of pizza.

"Right," Charles says going back to the T.V.

Gradually everyone goes back to watching the film, where some mad man is chasing a girl around with a chainsaw. Alex eats her slice of pizza quietly and she could still feel someone's gaze on her.

"Conner stop looking at me, or I'll throw this pizza at you." Alex says without looking at him. Everyone looks at Alex again and Sabrina starts giggling.

"Anyone want a drink or anything? I'm starting to get bored of this." Alex asked pointing at the T.V.

"I think we all do." Sabrina says.

"How about some soda, I'll see if we've got any left, after Mister Brown here decided to drink most of it earlier," Alex said with a pointed look at Charles.

"Well threatening the Turner's is thirsty work." He says smirking.

"Funny," Alex says throwing her hands up in the air and walking away.

"Wait for me!" Sabrina shouts and grabs her arm.

We walk into the kitchen and Sabrina lets go.

"So what was the laughing about earlier?" Sabrina asked.

"Nothing you wouldn't get it." Alex says smiling.

"Tell me!" She exclaims.

"Nope," Alex says shaking her head and reaching into the cupboard for a glass.

"Fine," She grunts folding her arms.

Alex puts some glasses on a tray with the remainder of the soda.

"Are you coming?" Alex say to Sabrina who's still in a stress.

"Might as well," She says shrugging and trying not to smile.

"Yeah or James might miss you. I'm sure he loves having you snuggled up to him." Alex say smirking, opening the door with her free hand and walking back into the living room.

"Took you long enough," Charles says sitting up and taking the tray from Alex.

"ALEX, GET HERE NOW!" Sabrina shouts from the kitchen doorway, what Alex just said must have sunk in finally then.

All the guys look up at Alex and then at Sabrina and then at Alex again.

"Excuse me," Alex said smiling to all three of them. "Yes?" Alex says innocently to Sabrina.

"Kitchen, Now, No excuses," She breathes and walk's back into the kitchen slamming the door.

"What's her problem?" Conner asked.

"Nothing that concerns you," Alex said without looking at him again and following Sabrina back into the kitchen.

"Well?" Sabrina snorts after Alex closed the door.

"Nothing, I just thought it was true." Alex says shrugging and trying not to laugh.

"That's what you were laughing at in there!" She says pointing at the door.

Alex laughed and clapped.

"No shit Sherlock." Alex said.

"I should hit you for that, but I guess…" She says smiling at the floor.

"You like him huh?" Alex asked.

"No shit Sherlock," She says smiling and putting her hands on her hips and Alex laughed too.

"Now shall we go and re-join them?" Alex asked.

"Yeah but can I sit next to you," Sabrina asked.

"If you don't mind Conner sitting next to you then be my guest." Alex said smirking.

"Fine," She says rolling her eyes.

When we re-enter the lounge the guys don't even bother to look up, they're too engrossed in the film. Alex sat down and Sabrina sits down next to her cuddling a cushion. James gives Alex a very pointed look and Alex raises her eyebrows at him.

Somebody screams and Alex jumped, it's only the woman on T.V but still…

"I'm gonna get changed," Sabrina says yawning.

"What time is it then?" Alex asked.

"11:30" Conner says looking at his Fossil watch that isn't too costly.

"Bloody hell," Charles says jumping up.

"People, people," James says looking completely relaxed.

"What?" Alex snapped at him.

"It's only 11:30," He says smiling.

"Only!" Charles says gawping at him.

"I'm usually still out now." James says shaking his head.

"Womanizing, no doubt," Conner says sarcastically.

"Actually," James says standing up.

"Hey!" Alex screamed, "What did I say to you two earlier? No fighting in this house! Now Sabrina you can get changed in the bathroom, I'll change in my room and you three well…you can take turns using the bathroom after Sabrina."

"Fine," Conner says stalking off and sits down again.

"Whatever," Alex says stomping out of the room.

Alex ended up stomping up the stairs into her room and straight over to her bed where my silk PJ's with hearts etched on the legging they were laid out there still flat and neat she didn't get a chance to put them on last night before she fell asleep. Typical. If only she hadn't fallen asleep.

Alex puts them on and looks at herself in the mirror, she looked like her mom 10 years ago. But at least it was silky. Oh well it couldn't be helped, she's just going to have to bear it like an adult. Or she could just lock herself in her room for the rest of the night. Alex sighed and there's a knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in," Alex say wincing.

"Alex? Are you okay? You're taking an awful long time in here." Sabrina says sticking her head around the door.

"Fine," Alex sighed slightly flustered.

"Oh my god," She says seeing Alex's PJ's.

'Here comes the sarcastic comment.'

"Snap!" She shouts jumping through the doorway.

"Sabrina," Alex said and start laughing, she laughs too.

"Where on earth did you find those?" Alex asked still laughing.

"They were on sale when my mom got them." Sabrina says.

"I didn't know that they ever make another pair of ridiculous looking pants," Alex said sighing.

"Why so glum? I think there groovy." She says spinning around in them.

"You what," Alex says doing a double take.

"I said I think there groovy Alex, weren't you listening?" She says giving Alex a slight shove.

"Right that sentence just earned you ownership of crazy town." Alex said folding her arms.

"Fine, I'll prove I'm not scared of what they think." She says nodding her head.

"Who," Alex asked.

"Going downstairs, that's what you're scared of right?" Sabrina asked.

"No." Alex said shaking her head.

"Fine, prove it." Sabrina says pointing to her open bedroom door.

"Fine, I will." Alex said marching out of the door and down the stairs.

Alex marched across the hallway and into the lounge. All three of them stop and look at her for a second and then just carry on rummaging through their bags.

"See? They don't care." Sabrina says appearing at her side.

"Who said that they did?" Alex asked smiling.

"Exactly," Sabrina says throwing her hands up in the air.

"What would we care about?" Charles says confused.

"Nothing Charlie Brown," Alex say giggling and he gives her and odd look.

"So anyway Alex," Sabrina says clearing her throat.

"Yeah," Alex asked.

"Um, where's your bedding and my sleeping bag?" Sabrina asked.

"Upstairs in my room," Alex replied nonchalantly.

"Well would you like to go get it?" She asks.

"Yeah you wanna help?" Alex asked.

"Um no," Sabrina says smiling.

"Oh okay then I guess you could share James's sleeping bag," Alex says in a whisper to her as she walked past.

Alex get half way up the stairs when she hears footsteps behind her.

"So you took what I said seriously then?" Alex asked turning

"I don't know what you said," Says a male voice.

"What are you doing?" Alex said to Conner.

"Sabrina asked me to help because she said she's tired." He says.

"Right," Alex says turning and continuing up the stairs. "Tired my arse." Alex mutters.

'I hate Sabrina, I really hate her. Thanks to her I am now hunting through the boxes in my room with Conner, who I don't like anyway. He's now rooting through a box I know is full of safe stuff like stuffed animals instead of something like let's say, underwear!'

Alex could hear the T.V. on downstairs, its obvious they have the karaoke machine on because it's blaring out like there's no tomorrow.

'Typical, I'm out of the room five minutes and they think they can do what they like. I hate this, plus I think the sleeping bags' in my dad's room and I really don't want to go in there. Conner could go and get it I guess, or I could go downstairs and drag Sabrina up here by her hair supposedly tired or not.'

"There's nothing in here." Conner says turning to her. "Just a load of stuffed animals."

"Oh sorry, I didn't know." Alex lied.

"Well where else shall I look?" Conner says folding his muscular arms, and flipping his rock-star hair out of his eyes.

"In my dad's room, I would accept…" Alex voice trailed off.

"It's fine." Conner says walking out of her room.

"But you don't know where it is!" Alex says running out after him.

Alex looked around and it looks like he already found her dad's room and had already opened the door.

"Hey!" Alex said marching down the hallway.

"What?" Conner says turning around.

Alex opens her mouth to have a go at him and she puts her foot in something wet and sticky and slips. She fall forwards, shutting her eyes and bracing herself for the impact of the floor. She hears someone running towards her as she fall forwards on to something soft but that collapses as well.

When she opens her eyes she's on top of something soft. She lifts her head slightly and looks up. Her mouth drops open at who she sees.

"You really should be more careful you know, I won't be around to catch you all the time." Conner says rubbing his hand on the side of his jeans.

"You but I..." Alex says trying to sit up and all of her limbs fail her and she collapse again.

"See? You really should be more careful." He says smirking.

"Shut up," Alex says trying to get up again.

"What's going on in here?" Sabrina asked from the doorway and when she sees the situation, which must look very bad from where she's standing and she gasps.

"Look's like Conner couldn't wait any longer!" James says leaning against the doorframe.

Sabrina starts to laugh and Alex gets up very quickly and brushes herself off.

"I slipped," Alex said scowling at the pair of them.

"Sure Alex," Sabrina says laughing her head off.

"Oh yeah," Alex scowled again. "What do you call that wet sticky patch underneath your foot then?"

Sabrina stops laughing and lifts her foot up disgust.

"Ewe. How did you know that was there?" She says eyeing Alex suspiciously.

"Because I did that this morning, I dropped the cup, remember?" Alex says triumphantly.

"Oh...Yeah. She has a point James she did drop a cup this morning out of shock," Sabrina says to James who's smirking and shaking his head.

"No, no Sabrina that stain was probably already there! She must have done it on purpose." James says smirking again.

"I, what," Alex screamed at him.

"You noted there was a stain there and," James grins.

"What?" Alex spat at him.

"And decided to accidentally slip," He says making hyphen signs with his fingers.

"Oh yes, because I really wanted to subject myself to the embarrassment of throwing myself on Conner," Alex says putting her hands on her hips and rolling her eyes.

"Don't tell me either of you didn't enjoy that?" James replied.

"I did not," Alex says shaking her head.

"And neither did I." Conner stated firmly.

"Sure," James says.

"Look James not all men are womanizers like you." Conner retorts.

"You wanna a bet?" James says clenching his fists.

"Yeah I do," Conner says doing the same.

Alex opens her mouth and screams at the pair of them.

"Let's go back to singing." Sabrina says trying to lighten the mood.

Sabrina cued up a Katy Perry song called California Girls. James sang Snoop Dog's part.

_[Snoop Dogg:]_  
Greetings loved ones  
Let's take a journey

_[Katy:]_  
I know a place  
Where the grass is really greener  
Warm, wet and wild  
There must be something in the water  
Sippin' gin and juice  
Laying underneath the palm trees  
The boys  
Break their necks  
Try'na to creep a little sneak peek  
(at us)

You could travel the worldBut nothing comes close  
To the golden coast  
Once you party with us  
You'll be falling in love  
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

California girls  
We're unforgettable  
Daisy Dukes  
Bikinis on top  
Sun-kissed skin  
So hot  
We'll melt your popsicle  
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

California girls  
We're undeniable  
Fine, fresh, fierce  
We got it on lock  
West coast represent  
Now put your hands up  
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

Sex on the beach  
We don't mind sand in our stilettoes  
We freak  
In my jeep  
Snoop Doggy Dogg on the stereo

You could travel the world  
But nothing comes close  
To the golden coast  
Once you party with usYou'll be falling in love  
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

California girls  
We're unforgettable  
Daisy Dukes  
Bikinis on top  
Sun-kissed skin  
So hot  
We'll melt your popsicle  
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

California girls  
We're undeniable  
Fine, fresh, fierce  
We got it on lock  
West coast represent  
Now put your hands up  
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

_[Snoop Dogg:]_Tone, tan  
Fit and ready  
Turn it up cause its gettin' heavy  
Wild wild west coast  
These are the girls I love the most  
I mean the ones  
I mean like she's the one  
Kiss her  
Touch her  
Squeeze her buns

The girl's a freak  
She drive a jeep  
In Laguna Beach  
I'm okay  
I won't play  
I love the bay  
Just like I love LA  
Venice beach  
And Palm Springs  
Summertime is everything

Homeboys  
Bangin' out  
All that ass  
Hangin' out  
Bikinis, zucchinisMartinis, no weenies  
Just the King  
And the Queeny  
Katy my lady (yeah)  
Lookie here baby (uh huh)  
I'm all up on ya  
Cuz you're representin' California (ohhh yeahh)

_[Katy:]_  
California girls  
We're unforgettable  
Daisy Dukes  
Bikinis on top  
Sun-kissed skin  
So hot  
We'll melt your popsicle  
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

California girls  
We're undeniable  
Fine, fresh, fierce  
We got it on lock  
West coast represent  
(West coast, west coast)  
Now put your hands up  
Oooooh Oh Oooooh  
_[Snoop Dogg:]_  
(Californiaaa, Californiaaa)  
California girls man  
I really wish you all could be  
California girls  
(Californiaaa)

The song ended, they gave them applause, Alex jump up and cued up a Selena Gomez song Naturally.

How you choose to express yourself  
It's all your own and I can tell  
It comes naturally, it comes naturally

You follow what you feel inside  
It's intuitive, you don't have to try  
It comes naturally, mmmm it comes naturally

And it takes my breath away  
What you do, so naturally

You are the thunder and I am the lightening  
And I love the way you know who you are  
And to me it's exciting  
When you know its meant to be  
Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally  
When you're with me, baby

Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally  
Bay bay baby

You have a way of moving me  
A force of nature, your energy  
It comes naturally (You know it does)  
It comes naturally  
Mmmm yeah

And it takes my breath away (Every time)  
What you do, so naturally

You are the thunder and I am the lightening  
And I love the way you know who you are  
And to me it's exciting  
When you know its meant to be  
Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally  
When you're with me, baby

Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally  
Bay bay baby

When we collide, sparks fly  
When you look in my eyes, it takes my breath away

You are the thunder and I am the lighteningAnd I love the way you know who you are  
And to me it's exciting  
When you know its meant to be  
Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally  
When you're with me, baby

Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally  
Bay bay baby

Naturally Naturally Naturally Naturally Naturally Bay bay baby  
Naturally Naturally Naturally Naturally Naturally

Everything baby comes naturally

Everybody's face dropped. She sounded just like her.

"What?" Alex said staring at them.

'Did I sound that horrible?'

"You sound just like Selena Gomez." James piped up.

"Yeah, you sounded great!" Sabrina gushed.

"Uh-hm, Mic please." Charles said.

Charles sang the Jonas Brothers's Invisible.

I can feel you all around  
In the silence I hear the sound  
Of your footsteps on the ground  
And my heart slows down  
So now I'm

_[Chorus:]_  
I'm waiting for the moonlight  
So I can find you  
In this perfect dream  
Don't think that you can  
Hide there in the shadows  
Girl you're not invisible  
Your all that I can see

Something's changing deep inside  
All my hopes are comin' alive  
As we're fading into the night  
I can see your eyes  
So I keep on

_[Chorus]_  
I'm waiting for the moonlight  
So I can find you  
In this perfect dream  
Don't think that you can  
Hide there in the shadowsGirl you're not invisible  
Your all that I can see

See the darkness, believe we can make this  
All we want is to be  
We can stay forever cause when we're together  
I'm stuck in this fantasy  
I don't wanna leave  
And I'll keep

_[Chorus]_  
I'm waiting for the moonlight  
So I can find you  
In this perfect dream  
Don't think that you can  
Hide there in the shadows  
Girl you're not invisible  
Your all that I can see

And my heart slows down

When the song ended they just stared at him horrified.

He sucked so badly. His voice was off. And he sounded like a wailing cat.

Conner stood up and turns the system off.

"You want to see the real shit?" Conner asked. He goes out to his car's trunk and pulls out his electric guitar and amp from the backseat plugs it in picks up a mic and starts to play. He starts to play heavier rock. He starts to play Atreyu's This Flesh a Tomb.

I feel eyelashes on my cheek  
And they lacerate my flesh  
No pain so good  
So put your hand in mine

Never let go  
Never wake up 'cause I'm done with promises  
I'm taking blood oaths  
Feels likes you could kiss my imperfections  
My imperfections away  
And I would stand  
Stand by your side until the sun turns the sky  
All the colors I see in your eyes

I'll never need to see the sun again  
There's enough light in your eyes to light up our little world  
So take me, take my away  
Kill me slowly, I'll never be the same

I swear to you, on everything I am  
And I dedicate to you all that I have  
And I promise you that I will stand right by your side  
Forever and always until the day I die

The bite marks on my neck never felt so goodI'm losing control and it's all that I can do  
Not to blackout and fall into lust with youYour kisses infect me  
The dark gift is loving you

And I'll never need to see the sun again  
There's enough light in your eyes to light up our little world  
So take me, take me away  
Kill me slowly, I'll never be the same

And I feel immortal and I want to make you feel the same  
So stand by me as we immolate  
We can burn in each other's arms

And I feel immortal and I want to make you feel the same  
So stand by me as we immolate  
We can burn in each other's arms

'Wow, he's amazingly handsome he can play the guitar and sing, hello since when did I ever think about him?'

And than Charles comes crashing into the room.

"What?" Alex snaps at him.

"There's someone at the backdoor trying to force their way in," Charles says gasping for breath.

"The Turner's," Sabrina says looking at Alex.

"Their obviously back for more," Charles gasps.

"Right and we'll give them the fight of their life's right?" James says smirking and wondering out of the room closely followed by Conner and Charles.

"Don't worry Alex, they'll be fine." Sabrina says reassuringly.

"Who says I'm worried about them? I'm more worried about my own hide thank you very much," Alex smirked and Sabrina clears her throat "And maybe yours a little too."

"Thanks Alex, that's really considerate." She says trying not to smile.

Alex tries to suppress a laugh but it doesn't work and they both ended up giggling, and there's a loud bang from downstairs and Alex and Sabrina jumped.

"I think we'd better," Alex said.

"Stay here?" Sabrina suggests hopefully.

"Honestly, follow me," Alex say walking out of the room.

"But…" Sabrina stutters.

'Honestly how can someone be so scared of a little noise? I wonder what the almighty men are going to do about it. I suddenly get the vision of them all as superheroes and start to laugh uncontrollably especially seen as their all wearing spandex.'

Alex walked along the hallway quietly laughing to herself and down the stairs she got to the bottom when someone grabs her arm from behind. She quickly turns around her fist clenched ready to hit whoever it is and a girl squeaks.

"Sabrina," Alex says lowering her hand.

"Sorry Alex, I didn't mean to scare you," She says.

"I wasn't scared; it was just instinct that's all." Alex says calmly.

"Sure it was," She says rolling her eyes.

"Anyway please don't do that again Sabrina I might have knocked you out." Alex said.

"Whatever, can we just get out of this hallway and back to the guys?" She says grabbing her arm.

"Hey that was what I was going to say!" Alex says scowling.

"Alex," She hisses digging her nails in.

"Fine, fine," Alex said rolling her eyes and guiding her into the living room.

Alex opened the door and all she could see is black, someone's turned the lights off. Alex tried and feels her way in with Sabrina still clinging to her arm. Alex puts her hand on something soft and thinks it's the sofa when a hand grabs her. Alex closes her eyes, screams immediately and lash out at whoever it is. There's a yell and a heavy thud.

The lights switched on and Alex opens her eyes. Charles on the floor rubbing the side of his face, Conner is standing there staring at her and James by the light switch. While Sabrina is standing in the door way as white as a sheet.

"Well you certainly can pack a punch Alex," Charles says getting up again.

"Well I though you were some creep that had invaded my house!" Alex scream at him taking very deep cleansing breaths.

"Why are all of the lights off?" Sabrina asks.

"We were trying to gain the element of surprise and catch them," James says.

"Yeah well you certainly gained the element of a bloody surprise." Alex hiss at him.

Conner opens his mouth to say something, obviously it's sarcastic because he has that stupid smirk on his face and there's another loud thud from the back door, and this time you can actually hear the door swing open.

"You two stay here," Charles says to Sabrina and Alex "We'll go."

Just than they crept over to the kitchen door and pry it open and ran in! Whoever's in there certainly will get the meaning of element of surprise. There's a loud scream and a yelp of "Let go of me!" and it sounded like a woman's voice. Alex looks at Sabrina, who's standing there opened mouthed.

Alex runs into the kitchen and there's a brunette, in her mid 30's fighting for her life against three teenage boys.

"Let go of her!" Alex yelled at all three of them.

"Why? She was trying to break in here!" Charles yells at Alex.

"I wasn't trying to break in here at all! I lost my key that's all." She yelps as Charles tightens his grip on her.

"Why would you have keys?" Charles asks.

"Because she's my aunt!" Alex screamed at the three of them.

"She's," Conner says.

"Your," James says.

"What?" Charles says in disbelief.

"Yes, she's my aunt okay? And I'd rather not have her suffocate thank you Charles," Alex huff at all three of them and they realize her muttering apologies.

"Well it's nice to see that Alex has three handsome young men to protect her," My aunt says straightening herself out.

Charles looks at the floor clearly he's embarrassed, James stands up straighter and Conner looks at Alex.

'Again I get on odd sensation in my stomach,' Alex pokes it and it doesn't go away.

"Firstly Aunt Megan they are not handsome there just some annoying guys from my high school." Alex smirks at them.

"Oh are we now?" James says folding his arms.

"Yeah you are." Alex says nodding.

"Fine," James says sticking his chest up like he can prove he's more of a man.

"It's lovely to see you've found yourself some friend's Alex but are all of them boys?" She says skeptically.

"No!" Alex screamed at her.

"You make that sound like a bad thing!" James protests.

"I wasn't saying it is, I'm only saying that I think Alex would have made more girl friends rather than boys," She says.

"Well only one," Alex says with all honesty.

"Just one," She says in surprise.

"Yup, but she makes enough noise for about 20 girls, isn't that right Sabrina?" Alex called into the living room.

"Yeah that's right," She says bouncing into the kitchen as happy as a clown and rushing straight over to my aunt and starts to shake her hand "Hi, I'm Sabrina and this is James, Charles and Conner." She says pointing to each of them in turn.

"Okay, would you like to calm down now?" She says pulling her hand out of Sabrina's grasp.

"Well at least we know that sarcasm runs in the family," James says not being able to keep his mouth shut.

"Hey!" Alex starts to protest and everyone starts laughing even her.

Alex looked around at everyone having such a good time after the whole ordeal, She was afraid for Selph's sake, She's not one of these so called damsels in distress. Or am I?

"Now you boys go and get my bags from my car," My aunt instructs them now we've got everything sorted.

"And what if we refuse?" James smirks at her.

"Then I would say you're not too old to put across my knee young man," She replies without looking at him.

Alex couldn't help but laugh; Alex started giggling and Conner looks at me again and just keeps on staring. I avoid his gaze and look at Sabrina who seems to be fighting with herself, whether to laugh or not.

"Chop, chop we haven't got all day!" Aunt Megan smirks at them and practically shoves them all out of the door. "And you dear please go and make me a cup of tea, will you? There's a good girl."

Sabrina looks at Alex and Alex shrugs at her, so she traipses off to the kitchen, without a backward glance. As soon as the kitchen door shuts Alex turns around to her aunt who's looking at her with a knowing grin on her face.

"What?" Alex asked.

"He likes you," Aunt Megan says without any concern.

"Who," Alex says pretending to not know what she means.

"The one in one of your dad's old shirts, you know the one with the brown hair." She says rolling her eyes.

"Conner? Ha," Alex said trying not to laugh at her.

"Don't deny it, I know you like him as well." She says without a care in the world.

"I don't!" Alex screamed at her.

"You do," Aunt Megan said and Alex opens her mouth to scream back at her and she cuts in front of her knowing exactly what I'm about to say, "You do Alex Russo, end of story."

"But I..." Alex whimpers helplessly.

"Don't argue with me," She says sternly.

Alex opens her mouth to say that's she's not the boss of me at all and the front door swings open again. Alex sees Charles first and he just starts laughing. He's armed with two bags in his right hand, three in his left and one in his mouth. He drops it on the floor immediately.

"Will you help? This is in no way funny, Alex," He scowls at Alex.

"Really," Alex asked through a fit of giggles.

"Oh honestly," My aunt says "Here," And she picks up the bag. "Open," She says to him and Charles opens his mouth and she puts the bag in it. "Now take those up to Alex's dad's room will you? There's a dear."

Alex started laughing again, she just couldn't help it. Alex loved her and everything but she can be so annoying at times. Conner and James traipse in again in just the same state as Charles, They both stop and look at Alex. The kitchen door swings open and Sabrina walks in carrying a tray with a pot of tea on it, with milk, sugar and a cup.

"Thank you dear," My aunt says taking the tray from her.

Sabrina looks at Alex and by this time her eyes are brimming with tears.

"What?" She says rushing to my side and Alex looked at Conner and James.

She doesn't say anything at first she doesn't even grin, and then out of nowhere she just literally collapses at my side laughing and Alex couldn't hold her laughter any longer either and she started again too. Charles just about reached the bottom of the stairs when he sees us both collapsing.

"Laugh it up ladies," He says folding his arms.

"Oh don't worry dear they will, you boys want a hand?" My aunt asks them politely and they all shake their heads. "Fine, fine,"

They all walk very slowly up the stairs, Charles navigating Conner and James up the stairs. Alex starts to calm down a little but Sabrina keeps laughing, and stays that way until the guys come down again.

"Now, listen here you lot," My aunt says and we give her our full attention, well not Sabrina but still at least the majority of us are listening. "You are not going to sleep in the living room. Alex and…"

"Sabrina," Alex said.

"And Sabrina are going to stay in Alex's room. And you boys are going to sleep in the spare room. And seen as you all seem to be in your PJ's anyway you can all go to bed because it's getting on to Midnight now,"

"Oh my god! You're kidding? I have a math exam tomorrow!" Sabrina screams suddenly.

"Oh so you were listening then?" Alex says and she gives Alex a stern look.

"Anyway off to bed all of you. Alex will show you where the spare room is." And she bustles off to the kitchen.

"Okay, well it looks like were going to bed then." James says.

"Yeah! Damn straight!" Sabrina says as grabs her stuff and runs to the stairs.

"Well," Alex say to the three of them "Grab your stuff and I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."

So they grab their bags of stuff and sleeping stuff and follow her up the stairs.

"I'm sorry about the mess," Alex says, as we walk up the stairs "I haven't had much time to get this place sorted."

"It's fine." James replies.

Alex leads them up to the end of the landing where the window is and through a door into a medium sized room.

"Well here it is, night guys!" Alex say shutting the door behind them as they all pile into the room.

'Oh man, I can't believe she's actually here, the worst person I could have in the house now apart form Conner of course. This whole situation is his fault.'

Alex walks into her bedroom and Sabrina's already asleep.

'What a cruel world, she's already asleep but then again I guess she can't tease me about Conner liking me at least.'

Alex walked over to her alarm and set it for at least 6, and put it down next to Sabrina's head just to teach her a lesson for teasing her. Alex pulled back the covers and slip in between them and the freshly laid sheet, seen, as she didn't actually sleep in her bed last night.

Alex looked out of the window and to the night sky, that's filled with stars, and the moon. Alex remembers when she was little when her mum and dad used to stand her on the windowsill of our old house and tell her the story about the man in the moon. Of course now she's too old to believe it now but she misses those stories and she misses my mum, and now her dad, too.

Alex opens her eyes and it's just after sunrise. Alex looked down at the clock next to Sabrina's head; it's just after quarter to six. Sabrina's obviously still asleep because I'm sure you could hear her snoring from about fifty miles away. Alex swings her legs out of bed and stretch. There's no way she's gonna be able to go back to sleep with that racket going on, and besides she would only be able to get another ten minutes sleep.

Alex treaded carefully over Sabrina so she doesn't wake her up and opens her bedroom door to hear humming from downstairs. Alex tries to not slam it, because of the following A: Sabrina is still asleep as is everyone else. B: because my aunt is up already. C: because she's singing the song my mum wrote when I was little and my aunt is now humming it.

Alex sighed frustrated, and unhappy. My dad used to go around singing it just after my mum left and because it reminded her of her mother it used to drive her insane.

Alex walked down the stairs to find her Aunt 'spring cleaning' the lounge. She's got her back to her but she knows I'm there, so she immediately stop's humming and just carries on dusting.

"Don't stop on my account," Alex says to her grumpily.

"I stopped because I didn't think you liked that song, dear," Aunt Megan says without looking at her.

"I did like that song when my mum was around," Alex say acidly putting an emphasis on the 'when'.

"I don't see what the problem is, it's just a song," Aunt Megan says without looking at her again and carrying on.

"Oh whatever," Alex says walking into the kitchen.

Alex starts to make herself a cup of coffee, slamming everything down on the counter as she gets it out. Then slamming the cupboard doors as put it away again. A few minutes later she's sitting at the breakfast table when she hears a very loud scream from upstairs and she starts laughing. Alex can hear someone stomping down the stairs and the kitchen door banging open.

Alex turned around to look at Sabrina, who has her hair sticking up in all directions, looking very shocked, and clutching her alarm clock in her hand.

"Morning Sabrina, sleep well?" Alex asked with a smirk.

"You evil cow!" Sabrina hisses at Alex.

"Well maybe you shouldn't tease me," Alex said turning back around to the table and sipping her coffee.

Sabrina sighs, and comes and pulls up the chair next to Alex's.

"You know it wasn't just me," Sabrina says curtly.

Alex looked up at her and she has this evil little smile on her face.

"And the guys are still asleep," Alex say catching on.

Sabrina smiles and nods, she picks up the alarm clock and sets it for ten minutes past six. We both stand up from the table smirking but without saying a word. We walk past my Aunt whose still humming and we tiptoe quietly up the stairs. We sneak along the landing and to the end room.

Sabrina opens the door slowly and all three of them are still flat out.

Alex tiptoes around them all with the clock and place on the table in the corner and set it just loud enough for them all to hear. When Alex turn around Sabrina is re-arranging their hands. Alex tried so hard not to laugh at what she sees.

Charles has his left hand on James's backside, his right on his own head. James's hands are nowhere to be seen. And Conner's right hand is in his hair while his left hand is on Irvine's back.

Alex looked at Sabrina who smiles triumphantly and we both have to hold our noses to stop ourselves from sniggering to death. Alex tiptoes around them all to the door and out of it closely followed by Sabrina who shuts it quietly behind her. We quietly walk back downstairs and sit back at the table after I've made Sabrina a cup of coffee and we both wait.

A few minutes later we hear several yells, and about three screams of the boys.

"What the hell do you think your doing?"

Alex looked at Sabrina and we both crack up laughing.

'I wish I could have seen their faces, I really do. Especially Conner's.' Alex Thought.

We hear all three of them stomping down the stairs and we try to regain our composure. They enter looking disgruntled and looking shiftily sideways at each other.

"Have a nice nights sleep?" Alex asked trying not to laugh or smirk fact of the matter and its not working terribly well.

"Fine thanks, the only thing that ruined it was waking with these two all over me! Honestly can no one resist?" James says flicking his hair back, which had come out from its neatly over his shoulders.

Alex looked at Sabrina and she's gone completely red where she's trying to laugh without being seen or heard.

"Really? I'm shocked at you both!" Alex said pretending to gasp.

"I didn't do it!" They both shout at Alex at once.

All three of start protesting it wasn't their fault. Alex looked at Sabrina and she looks at Alex and they both start laughing immediately.

"Wait; there was an alarm clock on the table!" Charles yells, and looks at Alex.

"So?" Alex says smirking.

"So, it wasn't there last night!" Charles says triumphantly.

"That's right!" James says looking straight at Sabrina who can't help but laugh at him.

"You put it there didn't' you?" Conner scowls at Alex.

"Well done!" Alex says clapping at them all. "But Sabrina re-arranged your hands." Alex sniggering and they all scowl at her.

"Some friend you are!" She hisses at Alex and all she does is shrug.

"Well it was either me or you, and I chose you, sorry." Alex smirk holding her hands up to Sabrina.

"Fine," She says rolling her eyes "I apologize I will never go near you when you are sleeping ever again okay?"

"Fine but that counts for when were awake as well, agreed?" Charles scowls at her.

"Whatever you say," Sabrina says waving her hand at him and giving Alex a small wink and Alex laugh.

"Anyway you guys want some coffee?" Alex asked and they all nod vigorously. "Well make it yourself I've left the stuff out on the side for you."

"Thanks," Charles mutters bitterly.

"No problem," Alex says smiling at them all and as she turns back to her coffee she sees Conner smile out of the corner of her eye and she ignores it.

Five minutes later were all sitting around the kitchen table in pure silence. When the kitchen door opens and Jasmine comes trotting in with a paper in her mouth. She drops it at Alex's feet and Alex picks it up without looking at it and puts it onto the table. Alex gets up and feed her dog for doing what she's trained to do.

"Um…" Sabrina says uneasily.

"What?" Alex asked as she bent down to put Jasmine's bowl on the floor.

"Nothing," Sabrina says as Alex turns around and James whips the paper out of sight.

"What's going on?" Alex asked them with her hands on her hips.

They all look uneasily at each other. Alex could tell there's something in that paper they didn't want her to see. Alex heard a scream from the living room and she runs in there immediately.

Alex's Aunt is on the floor in tears and when Alex ran over to her to see what the matter is; Alex sees the News Report and a picture of her dad in his army uniform with a bunch of other soldiers. Exactly like the one they have on the mantle piece.

Alex gasp in horror when she hears what the reporter's saying.

"General Russo led his squad into the midst of the bloody battlefield in the early evening of yesterday; many were shot down before they reached enemy lines. The General reached and the rest if his men reached enemy lines and a battle ignited."

"By three-thirty this morning the battle had died down and the enemy retreated. Many allied soldiers have died and many lay in hospitals wounded. But one man is yet to be found. General Russo is missing presumed dead. As his body was not brought in this morning with the rest of his squad."

As the reporter moved on to more stories about the war, Alex stood there horror struck.

'He only left yesterday, and he's already missing. Presumed dead? What does that mean? That he's presumed dead just because he hasn't shown up? He could be anywhere.' Alex thought.

"Do you want some coffee?" Sabrina says to Alex's Aunt and as she hears everyone leave the room, there's one person who doesn't move.

Alex drops the remote and slides down onto her knees. She hangs her head, she can't think about him being dead. She's already lost my mom; she can't lose my dad, too.

Alex feels something stinging her eyes, something her haven't felt since she was small. And very silently she begins to cry, with tears sliding down her face.

Alex can hear someone move from behind her, she just want them to go away. She hates crying in front of anyone. They sat down next to her and Alex hides her face behind hr long dark hair.

Very slowly, they put an arm around her shoulder. And She doesn't know why but she just put her head on their chest and let her self be comforted.

"My dad has gone missing loads of times but he always turns up in the end." Conner says and Alex nod.

Alex's eyes hurt, so does her head. Actually her whole body does. And they all got half an hour to get ready for school and no one seems to have any energy. Alex's Aunt was still crying and they were all sitting around the dining table not looking at each other. Sabrina is really concerned; Alex could tell by the quick look and look away thing she always does when Alex is upset.

"Shouldn't you all be getting ready for school?" Aunt Megan said through a sniff.

"Yeah," Alex said weakly and everyone looks at Alex as if she was insane.

"I need to go home and get my books and some clean clothes," says Charles smelling himself. Conner and James nod along to this.

"Well, I don't I have basically the same lessons I had yesterday so I'll be okay. I've only forgotten a few books but there not important ones," Sabrina says looking directly at her feet.

Alex could tell that they are all trying to avoid the subject. Alex did cry for at least fifteen minutes on Conner and now because of that she couldn't even look at him.

"Alex," Sabrina says.

"Hmm? What?" Alex says looking at her.

"Are you gonna bother coming today or what?" She says with a stern 'your not going to come even if I have to tie you to a chair to stop you' look.

"Yes," Alex says stubbornly.

"But," She starts to protest.

"But nothing," Alex says standing up. "I'm going to have a shower." And Alex walked out of the room slamming the door.

'Maybe Sabrina would stay at home in a situation like this but I won't. I'm not one of these kind of people that sit around the house all day and cry just because something wrong. I'd rather just go to school and forget about it.' Alex thought.

Alex opened the door to her bedroom and look around. Alex could see Sabrina's empty sleeping bag on the floor and Alex almost laugh.

'It's okay for her to say she should stay at home but she's never been in this situation then again neither have I. This is the first time he's ever gone missing. Though being as stubborn as he is, he'll live just to make my life hell as per usual.' Alex thought.

Alex grabbed her Tory Burch Osbur legging and Stella McCartney Ella tee-shirt and goes to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later when she's just pulling on her T-shirt Sabrina walks into her room unannounced.

"Bloody hell! Don't you knock? You could have been James!" Alex screams at her.

"Sorry! And notice how your mind jumps straight to James!" She hisses at Alex.

"Well he is the world's biggest pervert you've got to admit that." Alex said to her.

"Well," She said shifting her eyes.

"But he's your pervert, right?" Alex smirked at her.

"Hey! He is not my pervert!" She yells at Alex. "But I guess that could have been Conner that walked through here instead of me, or were you hoping it was? You had a bit of a smile on your face as I walked in."

Alex just stared at her blankly.

"I would rather eat dung beetles than have him walk through that door right now." Alex said with a total blank expression.

"Sure…" Sabrina says smiling.

"Shut up," Alex says turning to get her school bag.

"I'll get dressed then while you pack your bag, and by the way there's no danger of the guys walking in. They got dressed and went while you were in the shower." Sabrina says.

"Fine," Alex say not really listening.

Alex puts her History, Math, English and Biology books into her messenger bag.

"Done yet?" Alex asked rolling her eyes.

"Yeah," Sabrina says as she gathers her school bag.

"Ready?" Alex asked.

"Yep." Sabrina says smiling, "Lets go."

Alex and Sabrina walks out of her room and down the stairs when her aunt comes up to her holding the phone to her ear.

"It's your mother, she said she's coming here since your father is MIA and is bringing Max anything you like me to say to her?" Aunt Megan asked.

"I'll wait for you at the bottom of the drive." Sabrina says opening the door as Alex nodded to her.

'Mom's coming here. Why would she care she's the one that left me…' Alex thought angrily.

Alex pushed the door to the kitchen open and angrily told her aunt to tell her mom not to bother showing up than stormed off.

When Alex got to the end of the drive, Sabrina was no-where to be seen. Alex looked around for her and still couldn't find her. She supposes she might as well walk to school on her own then.

'I'm not going to waste time looking for her. I'll see her at school, anyway.' Alex thought as she walked on forward.

Alex walked down the same path that she took yesterday, but when she reached the street where she encountered Conner's mom crying, she found Conner by the stop sign instead. Alex stopped in her path and stared at him.

"Sabrina's gone off with James, she asked me to tell you if I saw you." He said rolling his eyes.

"Figures," Alex say rolling hers. "You could have told me that if you'd have seen me walking rather than waiting for me. I can walk to school in my own I'm a big girl now. Not that I used to have parental supervision when I was younger."

"Whatever," He says shrugging his shoulders. "You are walking this way, though?"

"No, I thought I'd orbit the earth and land directly opposite the school." Alex frown at him.

"Really? Well I'm going to walk today, thought I might take the space ship tomorrow." Conner says just as sarcastically.

Alex rolled her eyes at him.

"Whatever," Alex says walking straight past him.

Somehow he manages to catch up with her, she doesn't know how she used a speed spell and not even her dad can keep with her then.

"Do you have to insist we know each other?" Alex scowled at him.

"Not really, I don't know you really. I'm just keeping an eye on the Tuners because I feel like beating the crap out of one of them." He says keeping his eyes focused on the path ahead.

'Sure, the Turners. I don't need people to keep an eye on me. I am not a child. I may act like it at times but I do not look like one for sure. I don't need protecting against the Turners, although last night he caught me off guard.' Alex thought silently.

Alex and Conner walk in silence the rest of the way to school and when they reach the entrance part of the school Conner looks at her. Alex refused to look at him.

"I'm going to registration, and give Sabrina a good talking too." Alex says walking off in the opposite direction in which she has to go and before he has some chance to make some sarcastic remark.

Alex stopped again quite suddenly, and turned to look at him. He's still looking at her, like I'm some kind of crazy hag. Alex looked at him for a second.

"Thanks," Alex says without thinking and she doesn't need to wait for his reply and she turns and heads off.

Now that she put some distance between herself and Conner she can actually think.

'Idiot! Why the HELL did I do that? I never say thank you, well not to him of all people anyway!' Alex thought angrily.

The bell rings in the distance interrupting Alex's train of thought, the signal for registration. Alex really needed to tell Sabrina off this is all her fault.

Alex walked back into the building and down at least three corridors and it seems like she's early when she walked into the classroom, there's hardly anyone in there. Apart from three girls that look like complete sluts, Sabrina, Charles and some other boys that I haven't really seen before now.

"Hey, Alex!" Sabrina says waving her over.

"Don't you know the meaning of wait for someone?" Alex asked scowling at her.

"Sorry! James appeared out of nowhere and asked if I wanted to walk to school with him. How could I refuse?" She said smiling deviously.

"Well, thanks to you I got stuck with Conner," Alex said rolling her eyes and her.

"Really," Sabrina said looking shocked. "I didn't see him at all."

"You...What?" Alex asked looking at her in shock.

"Nope, I didn't see him at all, so I don't know how you got stuck with him or what he even said you." Sabrina says shaking her head.

"The lying git!" Alex yelled so loud that everyone was looking at her. "And I said thanks to him as well."

"You said what? Why even say that to him?" Sabrina asked.

"You never say that! Not even to us! What's the matter, you got a temperature or something?" Charles says feeling her forehead and smirking at Alex.

"Shut up," Alex said pushing his hand away. "I don't know why I did it!" Alex yelp at them both.

"Oh well," Sabrina says shrugging, as does Charles.

"Oh well? I'll never be able to live this down!" Alex practically screamed at her.

Sabrina opens her mouth to reply just as the door swings open again. And three girls walk in looking like complete sluts, the type James goes out with obviously.

"Oi," Says one of them to Alex.

"What?" Alex said back just as rudely.

"Don't you start mouthing off at me," She says looking her over.

"And why not?" Alex scowled at her.

"Because you obviously think you're better than us," She says smiling.

"Prove me wrong." Alex smirked at her.

"Because your hair is that icky black color, and you obviously don't having a sun bed," She says rolling her eyes at Alex and smirked back.

"Really? I thought you just had too much foundation not a natural tan!" Alex said to her with a look of mock shock on her face.

"Oh my god! You are such a freak!" She says and sits down on the other side of the room.

"Well that was a charming new development!" Alex says to Sabrina and Charles and they both had looks of extreme shock on their faces.

"Don't tell me I've had it again haven't I?" Alex asked to the pair of them and they both nodded.

Alex had just sat down to lunch when she heard that disgusting guzzling noise again and rolled her eyes.

"Charles, if you must eat like a pig please do it some where else." Alex hissed at him without looking up from her plate.

"Fine but at least I don't want to waste away. Eat something." He retorts.

"I'm just not hungry I guess," Alex said pushing her plate away.

"Don't let Sabrina hear you say that! She'll practically force it down your throat!" Charles laughs.

"Then we don't tell her do we? I'll just go dump this in the bin and pretend I've eaten and she won't know a thing will she?" Alex scowled at Charles and he sighs.

"Fair enough," He says shrugging at her and gong back his hotdogs, all eighteen of them.

Alex quickly sweep her food into the nearest bin, and sit there with an empty tray just as Sabrina sits down.

"Did you already finish?" She says looking shocked.

"Uh huh," Alex says trying to look innocent.

"Okay. Charles, where's James?" She questions him.

"Dunno," He says through a mouthful of food "I think he's out in the Quad with Stephanie,"

"Stephanie?" Sabrina screams in alarm.

"What about her?" Alex asked.

"Um, she's like the world's biggest slut." Sabrina says looking at her plate.

"Ah," Alex says slowly. "They probably are studying."

"Yeah like the human body!" Sabrina exclaimed.

Alex lets them both finish their lunch in silence, than they go out to the quad afterwards mainly because Sabrina wants to see what James's up to. She spots him sitting on a bench with this girl and just sits and spies on him through some bushes. Charles starts dancing around practicing his karate. So Alex might as well just relax.

Alex dumps her bag on the ground and sit next to it.

'I don't know what to do with myself really. There's nothing to do.' Alex thought silently.

Fifteen minutes later the bell for afternoon lessons rings.

"See ya," Alex says to Sabrina and Charles.

Alex marched along the corridor to her English room, when she open the door no ones actually in there yet. Not even the teacher.

So Alex goes to her seat or Conner's or so he says. When she looks down at the desk the name 'Conner McLeod' is scratched into the wooden desk and on the chair too.

"Two can play at this game," Alex mutter taking a compass out of her pencil case.

Alex put a quick dash beside the 'Conner McLeod' and put next to it 'is a big headed jerk.' Than Alex scratched her name neatly underneath his, the same with the chair. Pleased with herself she sits down and wait.

Two minutes later the teacher walks in and sits down. She looks up and jumps.

"Miss Russo, you're early!" She gasps.

"Okay, shouldn't I be here now?" Alex ask slightly confused.

"Well yes, you should be here now that's correct. It's just this lesson nearly every student shows up late because the lessons straight after lunch they think they get away with it." She says shaking her head.

Alex nodded along with this not quite sure what to say. A few seconds' later three boys walk in take one look at her and start muttering to one another immediately.

It's the same with everyone person who walks in, they look at her and start to whisper or mutter.

When Conner walks in, her stomach turns over completely. He's wearing a tank top from Rag & Bone showing off his lean arm muscles, and a cashmere plaid scarf around his neck and a pair of Louis Vuitton jeans. Even the teacher looks up in complete surprise and says

"Conner you're early!"

"Is that a problem or something?" He asks acidly.

"No, I'm just shocked that's all, and there's no need to take that tone with me." She says looking over her glasses at him.

"Whatever," He says shrugging at her and turning to walk down the aisle to his, where Alex is seating.

He stops when he reaches Alex.

"You're in my seat again," He hisses at Alex.

Alex can just hear it; the class holding its breath just to hear whether I dare to answer him back again.

"I think you'll find this is my seat actually," Alex says pointing to her name on the desk.

"But I," Conner says looking down at the desk and seeing what I've done to his name.

"Whatever Russo," Conner says tensely and takes the seat next to her.

When Alex looks up, she could tell the whole class has been watching her. Alex looked up at the teacher and she is watching her with a very amused expression on her face.

"Miss Fox?" Asks a girl with light brown hair.

"Yes Serena?" She says tearing her gaze away from Conner and Alex and wiping the amused look off her face.

"Could you ask Conner and Alex to take their relationship problems outside in the future please?" She asked politely.

Most of the class laughs except for Alex and Conner. This girl smiles evilly at us. Alex scowled at her back.

"Well you two? Do you agree?" Miss Fox asks us trying not to laugh.

Conner opens his mouth but Alex gets there first.

"I would agree IF I were in a relationship, which I am not and never would be especially not with him." Alex says acidly pointing to Conner.

"I couldn't agree with you more," Conner scowls at Alex.

"Good that's settled then," Miss Fox says. "Now let's continue with what we were doing yesterday. Off you go."

'I've never wanted to hit someone more than I want hit that Serena girl right now. I still have to sit here for another hour and fifteen minutes till the end of school. Two double English lessons in two days. Typical. I have to stand a single lesson of this tomorrow, but tomorrow's Friday so I guess I can cope with that. After tomorrow I don't have to put up with Conner for two days!' Alex thought.

Alex snapped to her senses for a second when someone passes her a note from in front and whispers.

"Note from the girl down the front," He says and turns away again.

Alex opens it and it reads

'Party, 12 Maple Avenue. Tomorrow. 9pm till whenever. No Parental Supervision. Bring your friends.'

Alex looked around and it seems everyone has got one and is whispering excitedly about it.

As much as Alex loathes doing it, she looks at Conner. He has one too and she finds he is already looking at her. He raises his eyebrows slightly, and Alex turns away very quickly.

'I'm still gonna get him for this morning.' Alex thought.

Alex looked sideways at him once more and he's still looking at her. And then a perfect idea strikes her and so she raises her hand.

"Yes Miss Russo?" Miss Fox asked.

"Could you please ask Conner to stop staring at me? He's putting me off my work." Alex says trying hard to laugh. The rest of the class looks at her for a second then everyone bursts into fits of laughter.

"As you heard Mr. McLeod you are distracting Ms. Russo so get on with it." Miss Fox said.

"You know you love me," Alex said winking.

As the class bell rang, the students got up and shuffled out of the room, Conner was one of the last to leave blocking Alex's pathway.

"What are you trying to do?" Conner said grabbing Alex's wrist.

"What ever do you mean?" Alex said startled.

"Are you trying to embarrass me?" Conner said in outrage.

"If I was trying to do that I do much better than that." Alex said rolling her eyes.

"Don't be coy with me." Conner said slamming his right hand into the locker near Alex's head.

"What's your deal?" Alex asked. "I was just having fun."

"Fine, whatever…go have fun." Conner said storming off.

Half an hour later Alex was at home still lying in the same position on her bed, flat on stomach hugging a pillow all she could think about is where is her father and why is her mother coming. She flips to the news. Shock expressed onto her face as an upcoming earthquake is coming.

'Great is gets better and better. Missing Father. Mom coming back into her life after neglecting her. And a earth wide earthquake. Oh and we can't forget her fight with the Gorgeous Conner.' Alex thought bitterly.

The door swings open as Alex sits up.

"I don't want any tea," Alex sighed.

"I wasn't going to offer you tea," Says a bewildered voice.

"Sure," Alex said giving her aunt a disdainful look.

"No really, I've cooked you dinner!" Aunt Megan says.

Alex stared at her.

"Well? Come down and eat!" Aunt Megan says retreating and walking back down the stairs.

Alex sighed, 'I'll eat then go to bed I think. Maybe if I keep my head down she won't see me, and I'll just avoid her for the rest of today and tonight.' Alex thought sitting there.

After the meal she went start to bed.

"Alex!"

'Damn it. Why me I ask you? Why damn well me?'

"Yes?" Alex asked innocently to a very angry looking Sabrina.

"Don't give me that, I saw you trying to sneak past me trying not to be noticed. You are going to tell me what that thing is right now!" She almost yells at her dragging Alex into the quad.

Sabrina drags Alex into the middle of the lawn and then turns and folds her arms.

"Well?" Sabrina asked.

"Well I," Alex say looking around for anyone who might be listening.

"Well you what?" Sabrina says suspiciously.

"I didn't do anything!" Alex shout at her attracting the attention of some passers by.

Just as Alex stared them down, Alex spots someone walking straight towards her. Someone wearing that damn black Diesel Jannui jacket and wears his dark hair sloppily, and to make it worse he's looking straight at her.

"Hey Conner!" Sabrina yells at him waving.

Alex squeaks without realizing it and Sabrina looks at her.

"Alex why did you just squeak and WHY is you're face red?" Sabrina gasps in more horror and amusement.

"Nothing, I need the bathroom." Alex says turning to run in the opposite direction but Sabrina grabs her arm.

"You are not going anywhere until you've told me what it is," Sabrina hissed at her.

"What, what is?" Conner asked looking at Alex.

"Why she ran off yesterday after school." Sabrina told him.

"Did she now?" Conner says raising his eyebrows at her.

"I was late for a dental appointment." Alex says to them both quickly.

"Really," Sabrina says.

"Yeah," Alex says nodding not looking at Conner who's probably got a smirk the size of the country on his face.

"Yo Sabrina! Come here for a second will ya? I need a hand with something!" Charles yells at her "Hey Guys!" He yells waving at us.

Alex subconsciously waves at him.

"Ill be right back- He probably needs help with something in the Library." Sabrina says bouncing off to Charles and they walk off together.

'Liar. They are such bad liars.' Alex thought to herself.

"Yeah well," Alex says before Conner gets a chance to open his mouth "I need the bathroom. I'll see you later." Alex says looking at the grass.

Alex turns her back on him and start walking very fast almost running. She doesn't look where she's going and runs right into someone and she fall backwards onto the floor.

"Sorry," Alex says without looking up.

"Don't worry about it,"

When Alex look up there's a boy with blonde hair, a long gray jacket from who- cares, jeans from some high-end store and a black t-shirt on, holding out his hand.

"Sure?" Alex says taking his hand.

"Positive. Names Seth," He says smiling.

"Alex," Alex said blushing.

"Pleased to meet you," He says letting go of her hand as she nods at him.

'Wow, this guy is so much nicer than Conner. Really he is. Though being nicer than Conner isn't THAT hard really…' Alex thought.

"Say this is rather sudden but you know there's a party tonight…" He says looking at the floor.

'Oh my god is this boy asking me out?' Alex thought excitedly.

"Would you like to come with me?" He says again looking and the floor and then at Alex.

Alex smiled at him; he really is nothing like Conner and the bloody outrages that he pulls.

"Sure," Alex says nodding just as the bell goes.

"We'll make the arrangements at break? In the quad?" He says smiling.

"Yeah," Alex says.

"See you there then!" He calls as he walks away.

'Okay, well that was strange beyond belief. Wait till I tell Sabrina! She'll die and then she'll think that I'm trying to make Conner jealous…Damn her, and Charles.' Alex thought angrily.

Alex felt very satisfied with what she had agreed to do. Sure it'll make Conner jealous, but hey who cares? Anyway he doesn't even think of her that way he just decides it's funny to be a pervert. What's Sabrina gonna say? Alex can't wait to see her face; maybe she should poke or maybe shove James into asking her to go with him. Yeah now that would be fun, she'd kill her for a start! Oh well she shouldn't really say things that are inappropriate e.g. Conner likes you. She'll never get over that one.

'I know what I'll do; I'll go straight to the Library or code for the gym. They really are such bad liars.' Alex thought.

When Alex opened the door, Charles is bouncing around punching the air and Sabrina is sitting hold her knees to her chest against the wall.

"Hey Alex," She practically yells at her when Alex approached them both.

"So?" Charles says stopping to look at her.

"So what," Alex says shrugging.

"Did he ask you?" Sabrina says jumping to her feet immediately.

"Who," Alex says bewildered.

"Conner," They both yell at Alex.

"Ask me what?" Alex says staring at them both.

"To the party tonight," Sabrina says starting to hyperventilate.

"No…" Alex says shaking her head at the pair of them.

"He told me that he was going to ask you yesterday after school!" Charles says stretching.

"He said…WHAT?" Alex yelled at him.

"Alex, that's not what you were embarrassed about this morning?" Sabrina says staring at her blankly.

"No, he just decided to humiliate me instead!" Alex says dropping her school bag on the floor and her start walking around them both.

"By doing what exactly," Sabrina says sarcastically.

"By..." Alex says looking at the floor.

Alex looked around for anyone who might be listening and guess what? Everyone is. Alex supposes they kinda caught the whole Charles and Sabrina yelling Conner at her and now they want to know all about it. Great this'll be around the school by lunchtime. But she doesn't want to give them anymore satisfaction so she whispers it in Sabrina's ear.

"HE DID WHAT?" Sabrina yells in more shock that amusement which surprises her just a tiny little bit…

Alex looked around and everyone's staring at us.

"Why don't you all just go back to your own pathetic little life's and stop talking about mine? And yes I am saying my own life's pathetic!" Alex yelled at them all and they immediately go back to discussing their own pathetic lives.

"What? What did he do?" Charles says eagerly and Sabrina whispers it to him. "You're kidding…" He says to her blankly.

"I wish I was…" Alex says sighing.

"Well, that's interesting…" Sabrina says not really knowing what to say. "Wait a minute is that why he was so smug this morning? And why you had to keep looking at the floor?"

"Uh huh," Alex says nodding.

"Damn him! I thought he'd be so smug about asking you to that party not that…Disgusting." Sabrina mutters while Charles nods.

"You wait till I get hold of him later," Charles says with a twisted look on his face.

"Don't bother," Alex says shrugging.

"Why not," Charles says.

"Because I said so," Alex says to him.

"Whatever you want?" Charles says shrugging.

'Men, their minds are made up so easily or it's really easy to change their minds especially if their like Charles. Braun…some brains but obviously not enough to think for himself. At least he's not a half wit pee-brain unlike Conner.' Alex thought.

"CRAP!" Sabrina suddenly yells.

"What?" Alex asked.

"I had to meet Julie like ten minutes ago! Jeez I gotta run. I'll catch you at break! See ya!" Sabrina yells as she picks up her bag and runs out of the Gym.

"What is it with this Julie girl anyway? Is she to stupid to think for herself or something?" Alex asks Charles to which he responds by laughing.

"Oh, no she's not, she just pities her," Charles says grinning "So, did he ask you or not this morning the moron?"

'By the moron I take it he means Conner, good choice of words though I would have used much stronger language to describe him right now.' Alex thought.

"No he didn't," Alex says and Charles shakes his head. "But a guy called Seth did."

"Really," Charles says "Hmm, nice guy."

"Yep, much better than Conner," Alex says rolling her eyes.

"I don't know about that," Charles says.

"Look," Alex says to him.

"No that's not what I meant," Charles says cutting across her. "Never mind, I'll ask James later when I see him."

"Ask James what?" Alex says suspiciously.

"Nothing, come on its time for registration." Charles says grabbing his bag and walking off obviously still deep in thought.

Most of registration is okay I guess but when he read out notes to individuals its kinda unnerving. Alex may as well sit here in silence, Sabrina hasn't bothered to turn up and Charles still deep in thought. The bell rings eventually, thank god she was almost going to lose her voice from not really talking that much. It happens from time to time.

"We got math now, right?" Charles says to Alex as we exit the room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen it speaks!" Alex says smirking to which Charles rolls his eyes and give her a pointed look.

"Yes, we have math next Charles." Alex says to him.

"Good, good, see ya at break Alex." Charles says walking off going back to being 'deep in thought'.

"Whatever!" Alex called to him and he waves his hand at her.

Whatever and she shrug, 'now what way do I bloody well go?'

"That way," Says a very breathless Sabrina from behind her.

"You're alive!" Alex yelled at her in mock horror.

"Very funny, Russo! I ran down here to tell which way to go and now I have to run back up the stairs to get to my lesson on time!" Sabrina pants.

"Thanks," Alex says grinning.

"No problem!" Sabrina says. "Now go and I won't see you till lunch time again now because I have to teach Julie again at break," Sabrina says rolling her eyes.

"Its fine, I have something to do anyway," Alex says to her.

"'Kay! Now go!" And she grins before running off again.

When Alex enters the room, she heads straight to the back of the classroom immediately.

In her math lessons she guesses she does have some work to do. Crap and Science although that's not that bad. At least they didn't get paired up. God she HATES that! Jeez. And crap its break already…

Alex walks out of the room and down a few corridors till she reaches the doors which look un-surprisingly familiar. Alex opens them and walks out onto the pavement and find that Seth is sitting on a bench waiting.

"Hey," Alex says walking up to him.

"Hey," Seth says smiling and then he stand up. "So about eight o'clock tonight?"

"For you to come pick me up? Yeah that's fine. I live on Portland Street, number 85." Alex says grinning.

"Great, I'm sorry but I have some revision to do right now. I'll see you later!" Seth says smiling again.

'He really is one of the nicest guys I've ever met.' Alex thought.

Alex hasn't seen Sabrina or Charles for the rest of the day not since this morning, and she's bored outta her wits here. Half of the teachers here are refusing to give her work because they think she won't be able to concentrate through worrying about her dad. To be honest she hadn't really thought about it mainly because I don't want too. Unfortunately this is why her English lesson has become incredibly boring.

Even Conner's ignoring her really which she's glad for because she doesn't really want to talk to him anyway. Alex probably seem like she's staring into space but she doesn't really care that much...

"Miss Fox?" A girl asked from the front.

"Yes Miss Barker?" Miss Fox said looking up at her.

"Why does Alex have to do nothing all lesson?"

'Nosey bitch! I can't believe it. How dare she ask such as question?' Alex thought.

"It's none of your business Miss Barker, go back to your work," She says looking down at her book again.

'Ha, Miss Fox seriously rules.' Alex thought.

That girl is now staring now, scowling at her. Alex think she's just scowl at her back.

Just as Alex gets ready to give her the hardest stare of her life she turns around.

'Damn her! I wonder what made her turn around.' Alex thought.

Alex looks around the classroom and everyone else is absorbed in their work. There's only one person left…

Alex turns around to look at Conner and he's giving the back of that girls head the hardest stare she's ever seen.

"I'd appreciate it if you stopped staring at her you know I can fight my own battles. I don't need your ugly face to do it for me," Alex hissed at him under her breath to which he rolls his eyes and goes back to his work.

"No witty come back?" Alex says smirking "Can't say I'm surprised really, your mouth doesn't work in time with your brain does it? Considering you actually have a brain of course…"

"You obviously don't need much of one, if you agree to go out with Seth of all people…"

Alex looked at him for a second he has a very dark look on his face.

"Miss Fox?"

"Yes Serena?" She says looking up from her book.

"Could please ask Conner and Alex to step outside? I really don't want to listen to Conner nagging Alex because she has decided to go out with some other guy rather than him," She says sweetly.

Alex could tell she's smiling; she's that kind of person.

"I'm sorry both of you but I have to agree with Serena, your bickering has indeed got worse, and would you step outside for a while to cool down?" She asks looking over her glasses.

Alex picked up her bag and stood up and Conner does the same.

"With pleasure," Alex scowled at her.

Alex swings her bag over her shoulder and stomp out of the classroom closely followed by Conner. Conner shuts the door behind him.

"What the hell was that for?" Alex hissed at him when they were out in the corridor.

"For you deciding to go with some evil conniving cow," He scowls at Alex.

"So what if he's a Conniving? He's a hell of a lot nicer than you," Alex says folding her arms.

"Quite sure about that?" He asks.

"Perfectly, thanks," Alex says looking him directly in the eye.

"Well at least you can look at me properly now, earlier you couldn't even look me in the eye without getting embarrassed." He says smirking.

"Well that's not my fault is it?" Alex hissed at him again.

He stops smirking for a minute and just stands there.

"What?" Alex says to him.

"I didn't mean…" Conner starts saying really quietly looking at the floor for a change.

"Didn't mean to what? Basically pin me to locker and embarrass me?" Alex ask him acidly.

He looks up quite suddenly at her.

"I didn't mean that, I was only kidding around." Conner mutters very quickly.

"Kidding around? It wasn't funny Conner! It might have been for you but I didn't find it that funny!" Alex yelled at him.

"If you must know," Conner yells back "I felt so bad about doing it that I came to your house to apologize!"

"What?" Alex says blinking a few times.

"Your charming aunt answered the door and told me that you didn't want to see anyone," Conner says almost as if he's sulking.

"Well she was damned right!" Alex hissed at him.

"Did it really bother you that much?" Conner asks earnestly.

"Well…no…" Alex says looking at the floor.

'What am I saying? Of course it did!' Alex thought.

"Yes!" I say quickly embarrassing myself even more.

"Well then I'm not sorry at all," Conner says shrugging it off.

"Excuse me?" Alex says scowling.

"I'm not sorry, it has had its desired effect," Conner smirks at Alex.

"And what was that? To make me think of you and how I feel?" Alex says without thinking and put her hand over her mouth.

Conner just smiles.

"Now that I know that it's perfectly fine for you to go out with Seth,"

"You jerk," Alex muttered.

"Whatever," Conner says shrugging again.

"You know what I don't think of you at all, I only think what a jerk you are and how much I hate you. I think its good that I decided to go with Seth tonight because he's a gentleman something that you could never hope to achieve." Alex hissed at him.

"Excuse me?" He says.

"You heard me," Alex hissed at him again.

"Fine! In future I won't help you then!" Conner yells at her in the middle of the silent corridor.

"That's what you said last time and you keep crawling back! JERK!" Alex screamed at him as he walks away.

'MEN! I've had it with the lot of them! They are SO infuriating!' Alex thought bitterly.

"It wasn't even like he was bothered about in the end, although he made the whole thing up about feeling guilty! EVERYTHING!" Alex yelled at Sabrina on the walk back to her house after school.

"Alex it's not even that big of deal," Sabrina says.

"NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL?" Alex screams at her in the middle of the street and everyone stops and looks at her.

"Yes you can all go back to your meaningless consumer driven lives now! I'm having a teenage crisis!" Alex yelled at them all.

"Alex!" Sabrina hisses at her.

"What? It IS a big deal dammit!" Alex scowled at her.

"Fine, fine. We'll discuss this while were getting ready, if we ever get to your house,"

"Whatever," Alex said folding her arms and walking quicker.

'The sooner we get there the sooner I can complain about Conner.' Alex thought.

When we reached her house Alex opened the front door and it bangs off the wall as she pushes it open.

"Alex Russo!" Sabrina hisses at her.

"What? I'm annoyed and it's my house," Alex hissed back at her.

"Just because Conner's a jerk? Alex you knew that already so I don't see why you're annoyed that much unless…" She says glancing at her.

"No Sabrina I do not like him, I hate him with every fiber of my being and will tell him so if he dare come near me tonight," Alex scowls at her.

She sighs.

"Fine but your showing all the classic signs that's all."

"Whatever," Alex says shrugging and walking up the stairs.

Alex enters her room and almost gets knocked over by Jasmine, she barks happily.

"Aww! Did she lock you in here again?" Alex asked her dog stroking her head to which she barks.

"Mean old brat..." Alex mutters.

"Speaking of her where is your charming aunt this evening?" Sabrina grins unpacking her clothes.

"Out with her friends thank god," Alex says rolling her eyes.

Sabrina starts to laugh.

"And I mean thank god. She drives me more nuts than my dad," Alex mutters again.

"Alex," Sabrina says.

"I'm going to the bathroom to get changed," Alex says and walks quietly out of the room shutting the door behind her.

Alex listens for a moment and hears Sabrina sigh from within her room.

Alex couldn't help it, her dad's just missing not dead right? He'll be okay, he always is! Sometimes…..She remembers the last time there was a war, he came back and spent six months in bed recovering. Totally exhausted and run down, and of course because her mum wasn't around she had to look after him. Sixteen year old running around after her father so scared that if she doesn't then he gives up and dies and leave her alone in the world. A girl without a mother, just her father and she'll do anything to look after him so make sure he doesn't leave her as well. A girl that doesn't go to school on a regular basis because of this. A girl who has always had her trusty dog beside her to cheer her up or let her know she's not alone, her life once upon a time.

And now it'll be the same again if… and when he comes home again.

Alex walked into the bathroom and changes into her clothes. When she comes out of the bathroom she walks along to her room. Sabrina must be changed by now, ah what the hell were both girls anyway.

Alex opens the door and Sabrina gasps.

"What?" Alex says opening her eyes and looking around for any immediate danger.

"Alex you look amazing!" Sabrina gawps at her.

"I… No I don't," Alex shook her head at Sabrina.

"Yes you do!" Sabrina said still staring at her.

"Sabrina, I'm only wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt." Alex protested.

"Yeah that looks bloody stunning!" Sabrina gasps at her.

Alex sighs. She does not, she knows she doesn't so what's the point lying about it?

"Alex, believe me! Look!" She practically yells dragging Alex over to her mirror.

Alex was wearing her 7 for all man kind Roxanne jeans, not her usual tight fitting ones, her sparkly silver sleeve less top from Alexander McQueen and her Anna Sui boots. She also curled her hair so that hung just a few inches above her shoulders.

"What?" Alex said again "It's just the ordinary me," Alex shrugged.

"Sure," Sabrina said giving Alex a skeptical look.

Sabrina was wearing black pants from Emilio Pucci, Salavtore Ferragamo boots and a blue shirt from Escada.

"Stunning," Sabrina says shaking her head at Alex.

"Whatever, you are the one that's stunning," Alex says.

"You want to get Conner back right?" Sabrina asks her smiling evilly.

Alex turns around immediately and stares at her.

"How? Tell me how!" Alex hissed at her.

"By wearing that outfit and going out with another guy!" She says grinning.

"Ahh that's so boring, I'm doing that already. What else is new?" Alex says shrugging.

Sabrina laughs at her at that point.

"What?" Alex says to her.

"You really do make me laugh sometimes you know that?" Sabrina smiles at her.

'Eh? How on earth was that funny? I still don't get it and probably never will.' Alex thought.

Alex should have told Seth to meet them there, god what an uncomfortable car journey. Sabrina must have felt pretty left out.

"This is the place," Alex says holding out the piece of paper to Sabrina.

"Really, wow." Say Sabrina staring up at the place. "You could get lost in there and no one would find you for weeks,"

"I think that's the idea," Alex sighed.

"Huh?" Sabrina says with a puzzled look on her face.

Alex raises her eyebrows at her.

"Oh…Ew," Sabrina says shaking her head. "Disgusting,"

"Tell me about it," Alex says.

Alex meant what a place to have a party, a huge manor house where no one can see what goes on at all times. Typical.

"Looks the party's all ready raving," Seth says to the two of them.

"Shall we go in then so you can find your precious James?" Alex says to Sabrina who turns a deep shade of crimson.

"Shut up," She mutters looking at the floor.

Alex grins at her; she can't make a wise crack about Conner now. Ha, I win at life!

We all walk up the steps and open the door and get blasted by noise immediately.

"Hey Seth!" Shouts some random guy working his way towards them.

"Daniel," He says nodding to him.

"I see you've brought a friend!" Says this guy smiling at Alex to which she smiles back.

"I'll leave her with you then for a second just gotta go to the bathroom," He says wondering up the stairs.

Alex watched him climb the stairs dodging people randomly crowded on them.

"Daniel Michaels," He says holding out his hand.

Alex takes it and he shakes it and Sabrina's too.

"I believe you received the note to this party from my sister," He says smiling broadly.

"Um, yeah," I say nodding

"Excellent," He says. "I told her to pass out notes in her classes. You know make the most of it while parents are away," He says winking at them.

"Uh yeah," Sabrina says/

"Sabrina you made it!" Shouts a familiar male voice.

Alex turns to see James striding towards a now crimson Sabrina, Alex couldn't help but laugh.

"Daniel," James says inclining his head towards him.

"James," Says Daniel doing the same.

"Come on Sabrina, Alex were going in there," James says trying to keep a calm expression on his face.

"I'm supposed to wait here for Seth," Alex says to him.

"Tough, he can find you again I'm sure," James hisses at Alex.

"James, what..?" Alex manages to say before he drags her out of the hallway along with Sabrina.

"What the hell was that for?" Alex hissed at him.

"He's a known…well you know," Hisses James.

"A well known what?" Alex asked.

"Well he's always inappropriate in strange cases involving girls," Sabrina says lowering her voice.

"Oh," Alex says.

Suddenly Alex not so sure she wants to be in a…well, in his house anyway.

"Anyway," Alex says clearing her throat. "I'm going to get a drink, see you guys later!" Alex says waving to Sabrina and laughing at the look of horror on her face.

Alex climbed through the living room which is full to the brim of people either sitting, dancing or just standing there, which is of course, is not permitted at a party.

Alex manage to fight her way through to the kitchen, where she find more people, less than in the living room but still plenty enough to have to fight your way through the door.

There's all kinds of drinks most of it alcohol naturally and there's some buffet food like crisps and small sausages but not actual food, which disappoints her slightly because she haven't had any dinner yet again and she doesn't want to get drunk.

Alex picked up the nearest bottle which had a green and orange label, its some kind of vodka or something to that effect because everyone who seems to have drunk it looks like their in their own universe.

I might as well drink it, there's no one here to stop me, no adults, no father, no aunt, no friends and certainly no Conner.

Alex likes the way the bottle looks and takes the lid off, the smell that meets her nose is disgusting but when she tasted it, the liquid is warm and it's like theirs a firework going off in her mouth.

She raises the bottle to take a second swig and somebody grabs her arm, Alex looks around and there he is the one person she didn't want see.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Conner hisses at her.

"Well you're not me thankfully," Alex scowled back at him.

Alex goes to raise her arm again and find Conner's hand still attached to her arm.

"Do you mind?" Alex asked sounding like an alcoholic.

"Yes, actually I do," He scowls back. "That drink has been laced with something else, and it never usually smells like that,"

"How do you know?" Alex scowled.

"Because my house used to smell of that stuff," Conner says eyeing the drink with disgust.

"Your…what?" Alex says confused.

"Never mind," Conner says. "Now put that goddamned bottle down,"

"I suggest you stop ordering her around," Said a voice from behind them.

Alex looked at Conner because she couldn't turn around because his hand was still firmly clamped around her arm. His face was calm for a moment then became very twisted and angry.

"And I suggest you let her go as well," said the same person.

"Whatever," Conner says dropping her arm, which puts the bottle down immediately and Alex turned to face who ever it was.

Seth.

"I though you went…?" Alex frowns at him.

"I was, I came down the stairs and found you had gone somewhere," He says not taking his eyes off of Conner, who is now glaring at him.

"Yeah James took me and Sabrina into the living room," Alex says.

"Daniel said he dragged you," He replies still not taking his eyes from Conner.

"Well yeah he did but that's not the point. Will you two stop glaring at each other?" Alex hissed at them both.

"Of course, sorry," Seth says looking at Alex for the first time in minutes.

"Whatever you say," Conner says turning his back on us and walking from the room.

"Now that he's gone," Seth says rolling his eyes "Would you like to go find James and Sabrina and I'll bring you a drink?"

"Um Sabrina and James might be a little busy right now," Alex says raising her eyebrows at him.

"Ah I see, well," Seth says looking around.

Alex watch as he looks around and all of a sudden he snaps his fingers and a guy with short brown hair is instantly but his side.

"Mark, look after Alex here for me, until I can get a drink for her," Seth says.

"Sure," He nods.

"Would you like to come with me?" He asks.

"Wait in the living room, I'll be along in a minute," Seth says nodding to him.

"Okay," He says nodding.

Seth walks Alex over to the doorway and allows her to walk through first, when she enters the living room she see that the lights have been dimmed and most people have deserted the living room and are probably now upstairs.

Alex looked around for Sabrina and James and they were no where to be seen either, she didn't think Sabrina was that kid of girl but maybe she's wrong you never know.

"Fight! There's a fight!" Yells some girl from the bottom of the stairs.

"Will you excuse me?" Says the guy and I nod because I have no idea what's going on.

Alex stood and watched as Dave or whatever his name is fighting his way up the stairs towards the so called 'fight'.

"Where's Mark?" Seth says appearing at Alex's side.

"He's gone upstairs to some fight or something," Alex says shrugging and taking the drink he was holding out to her.

"There's a fight?" Seth asks her sharply.

"Yeah," Alex says shrugging.

"Seth do something! I can't break them up!" Says Daniel walking towards us.

"Fine," He says rolling his eyes "Show me where. Wait here for me?"

"Sure," Alex says nodding as Seth follows Daniel upstairs.

What is so important about breaking up a fight? And why must people always stand as watch, it's like their watching a football match or something.

"I wouldn't drink that if were you," Hisses someone from behind.

"Thankfully Conner, you're not me." Alex hissed back for the second time tonight.

"Seth spiked it,"

"Sure he has Conner," Alex said rolling her eyes and not even bothering to turn around.

Alex lifted the bottle to her mouth, and inhale sharply as Conner grabs her arm and turns her around to face him.

"Trust me," Conner says looking more serious than she's ever seen him.

I'm suddenly more aware of the fact that both of Conner's hands are on her arms, probably because yet again there is practically no one around.

"Prove it," Alex hissed before she could stop herself.

"Fine," Conner says letting go of her arms which are now very hot, especially in on the patches of skin where Conner had his hands.

Conner snatches the bottle out of her hand and rises to his mouth, he tips it upwards.

'He wouldn't dare, trying to prove a point. Men. Its not spiked he just wants to act the hero as usual…But what if it is? What will it do to him if it is?' Alex thoughts racing.

Before she could stop herself and to think any longer she grabbed his arm to stop it.

"I believe you, just don't drink it." Alex says her voice barely above a whisper.

'What's wrong with me? I should have just let the damned fool drink it, but then if something had of happened to him it would be my fault. Mine and my sarcastic nature.' Alex thought.

Alex takes her hand off his arm, suddenly aware that her cheeks feel hotter than usual. Conner puts the bottle down after emptying its contents in a near by flower pot. The only one that hasn't been smashed either.

Conner looks in the direction of the hallway door, and Alex turned around too, and there watching was Seth.

'God, how long has he been watching? I hope he hasn't just seen me make a fool of myself.' Alex thought.

"Get lost McLeod." Seth mutters.

"Fine," Conner says turning his back on us both, without a backward glance he walks out of the room.

"What did he do to you?" Seth asks without looking the slightest bit worried or angry.

"Nothing," Alex said shrugging.

"Sure?"

"Yes," Alex replied.

"Good, because were leaving. Parties over." He says now looking angry.

"Why? Because of that fight?" Alex asked bewildered.

"Yeah something like that," He says shrugging "Come on," He says taking Alex's arm and leading her to the front door.

"Seth where…" Is all she manages to get out before he cuts across her.

"I'm taking you home, so you'll be away from them and Conner bloody McLeod." Seth hisses at Alex as he leads her down the steps onto the path.

"Seth, aren't you going to drive?" Alex asked.

"No, I don't want blood on the leather," He sneers.

"What?" Alex said trying to wrench her arm out of his grip, but instead it only tightens.

"Well after I'm done with you, you'll be a mess and I don't want dirt and blood all over my seats," He sneers evilly with an insane grin plastered across his face.

"What are you going to do with me?" Alex asked trying not to let the worry show in her voice.

"To you, to you!" He sneers "And in answer to your question, something that my stupid underdogs obviously couldn't."

"Who?" Alex asked with a look of horror on her face, she could feel her eyes beginning to burn, its not that she's upset, it's that dawning feeling of horror and fear.

"My underdogs, The Turners," He smiles at Alex and laughs at the look on her face. "Don't look so surprised, surely your charming friend will have warned you against me?"

"Well no," Alex hissed. "But now I wish they would have,"

Seth looks angry for a moment then just starts to laugh as though it's nothing.

He drags Alex down an alley way, probably the closest one he could find. Though most of the trash in this city knows where the best grubby places are.

Seth drags her right down to one of back walls and pushes her up against it.

"Now this is it," Seth sneers as he reaches inside his jacket.

'I suppose I'd better stay quiet, god knows what he's got under there…' Alex thought.

"Now this," Seth says drawing out a gun.

"Is what I'm going to use to rid the world of you and then you can go and join your precious god,"

Alex blinked, her throat is dry and it was closing up.

Alex blinked again and feels her eyes sting.

"Aww, does Russo want her daddy?" He sneers "Don't worry, I'll be your new daddy!." He says.

Alex swallowed very hard, it was more like a gulp; fighting for her last breath.

"Why?" Alex whispered.

"Why?" He whispers. "Because, then I get to rid the world of another selfish, sarcastic, cynical little bitch," he whispers again whilst putting his finger on the trigger.

'What? Is that really how people perceive me? A heinous bitch who the world needs to get rid of?' Alex thought.

"Seth, you can't….and where did you get that from?" Alex asked eyeing the gun.

"Borrowed it," He said shrugging. "And I can, I'll prove to everyone I can and get away with it for the fourth time."

"Fourth time?" Alex whimpered.

"Surely you didn't think you were the first? But then again, the first one means she's special doesn't it? Of course you're so conceited that you think you're special because your mummy's gone and daddy's off fighting a war somewhere, or no sorry have they found the body yet?" Seth sneers.

Alex blinked, with a burning pain in her stomach, she couldn't feel the tears slide down her cheek because her face is numb but she knows she's crying.

"Did that hurt?" Seth says calmly.

'If I don't look at him then it won't happen, I'll wake up in a minute and realize this was just a bad nightmare, that there are no crazy gun wielding Brats that go to my school….' Alex thought.

"Well Russo, it's been fun, so much fun, but now you have a date with the devil," Seth says grinning.

'He wouldn't, he's just trying to scare me…'

"RUSSO!" Alex heard someone scream "RUSSO?"

'Sabrina….She shouldn't hear this…' Alex thought.

"I guess I should have a little fun with you but my patience is running low, bye Russo," Seth says going to pull the trigger.

'He wouldn't….He wouldn't…..Would he?' Alex thoughts screamed.

Something connects with her sharply and she falls sideways onto the ground, scraping her arms, on the wall as she fell. Alex fell flat on her stomach and behind her she could hear the trigger being pulled.

She heard someone slide down the wall behind her, and footsteps running away and someone running towards her.

Alex put her arms on, onto the hard alley floor and pushed herself up.

Alex turned around and look at the figure laying on the ground…a person with brown hair was lying there.

"RUSSO!" Sabrina scream running up the alley way, when she reaches her, she stops and looks at Alex. Alex could see her out of the corner of her eye.

"Russo, what are you…Conner!" She yells bending down to look at him.

Conner's just laying there, he looks so lifeless and pale, his white shirt is stained with blood….and there's nothing she could do…he saved her life and he might die because of her…

"James!" Sabrina screams and it echoes off of the alley walls.

James appears moments later and gasps as he looks down upon Conner.

"Sabrina, phone an ambulance," James says bending down to check his pulse.

"Yeah," Sabrina says quietly nodding and reaching into her bag for her mobile phone.

"Hurry up Sabrina! He hasn't got a pulse!" James yells at her.

"No..." Alex mutters.

"I'll go with him and call his family from the hospital, Sabrina you take Alex home, NOW," James instructed.

"Yeah," Says Sabrina "Come on Alex," She says tugging at her arm.

'I can't move….He…He actually pushed me out of harms way….why?'

"I..." Alex says weakly.

"Come on, home," Sabrina says.

Alex throat has closed up again and she merely nodded at her unable to do anything else.

Sabrina walks her down the alley way and down a few more roads.

Alex couldn't tell where she was going or really how, her legs are numb she couldn't even feel them so she don't know how she's walking properly.

Alex looked down at the ground, she didn't want Sabrina to see the tears, she doesn't want anyone else to see either, but it's her entire fault. Alex and Sabrina walked up a long driveway and up a few stairs on to the porch.

"Keys?" Alex hears Sabrina says, and Alex just hands her bag over.

Alex heard the lock click open and then the door opens and Sabrina twists the handle.

Alex walked inside not looking where she's going and treed on Jasmine who jumps at her, she yelps in pain, the high pitched noise snaps Alex back to realty, Alex could feel all her limbs again and her brain starts to retract in fast mode.

"Sorry girl!" Alex bends down and scratches her behind the ears; Alex turns to look at Sabrina.

"Alex, you've got that dangerous look in your eye," Sabrina says looking at warily.

"We're going to meet James at the hospital." Alex says.

"I don't think we should," Sabrina said.

"No Sabrina, I have to go, it's my fault," Alex says to her without taking her eyes off the floor.

"But he will want you to rest," Sabrina says taking a step towards her.

"I don't care what he wants; I'll do what I want, Sabrina and right now I want to be there because I caused this to him." Alex snapped.

Alex opened the front door before she could open her mouth.

"Coming or not?" Alex asked her.

"Fine, fine, but what about Jasmine?" Sabrina asks trying to keep the sly look off her face but it shows in her eyes.

"Nice try," Alex says narrowing her eyes at Sabrina "Now come on," Alex says grabbing her arm and shoving her out of the door.

Alex steps out onto the porch as well shutting the door behind her and locking it.

Alex grabbed Sabrina and marched down the driveway and out onto the path.

'If I keep going like this, if I can get there, he won't die; this won't be like last time that I see him. It won't.' Alex thought.

Alex practically ran down the city bus stop a few streets away from where she lived. She skidded to a halt just in front of the bus schedules.

"What's the time?" Alex asked Sabrina as she runs up behind her panting.

"About 11:30," Sabrina says gasping for breath.

"The last bus leaves in five minutes, we wait here," Alex says folding her arms.

"But," Sabrina pants still trying to catch her breath.

"But nothing, if you want to stay here then stay, I'm going to the hospital," Alex said firmly.

"No, I'll come," Sabrina says looking directly at her but Alex could feel that she didn't want to go at all.

They were standing in silence, again. This isn't really healthy, not talking about it, leaving each other out of our thoughts.

Alex looked up and down the street and she could see a bus coming towards them, as it stops Alex feels in her pocket for cash and realize she left her purse at home.

Alex looked helplessly at Sabrina who already has her purse out and is handing Alex some coins. Alex smiled at her gratefully.

They climbed aboard the bus and sit down, Sabrina stares out of the window. Alex sits next to her and looks down at her feet.

'He won't die; they would have operated by now I guess if it's not too late…Of course its not too late, hell be okay, I hope because it's all my fault, all my fault…' Alex thought silently.

"Alex," Sabrina says "Were here,"

Alex gets up she tries to move her feet to make her body walk, but she can't move, her legs feel like jelly. Alex breathes deeply and this makes her legs work but too fast, so fast she start running the minute her feet touch the pavement.

"Alex!" Sabrina yells from behind her.

Alex couldn't stop running, she eventually find herself running towards a very tired and disgruntled James, who looks furious the moment he lays eyes on Alex.

"I couldn't stop her," Sabrina gasps from somewhere behind Alex, before she could open her mouth.

James surveys Alex.

"What?" Alex says "What is your problem with me being here?"

"Well nothing it's just that I thought…" James says looking around the room nervously.

"You thought?" Alex hissed "You thought! Why didn't you bother to ask?" Alex screamed.

"I'm sorry Alex I just assumed….." James says quietly looking at the floor.

"Assumed!" Alex screamed "Assumed!"

"I'm sure he was just considering your feelings dear," A female voice says from Alex's far left.

Alex turns just about ready to take on anyone, when she recognizes the woman standing before her. Her long brown hair swinging from side to side as she walked towards them.

"I'm Michelle," She says out her hand towards James he takes it and then she does the same to Sabrina.

"Alex, I know you're worried about Conner but this isn't the time to turn on everyone you know! They care about you and what you've been through tonight," Michelle says surveying her.

"But it's my fault," Alex whimpers not able to look at her, for of course she is Conner's mother.

"I suppose you haven't told her then?" Michelle says to James.

"I was just about too and then she started screaming at me..."He says.

"What?" Alex asked her voice cracking.

"He's going to be fine; the bullet missed any internal organs completely, it left his body the same way it came through, he's going to be just fine. He's already sitting up with bandage across his chest an all, demanding to know whether you were okay," Michelle says smiling at her, Alex could feel her cheeks burn instantly.

"I…" Alex stutters pathetically.

"He's in a room right down the hall, if you want to go and see him, but he's only allowed one visitor at a time," Michelle says holding her hand up to stop James and Sabrina from going anywhere.

Alex smile weakly at them both and follow Michelle down the long hallway and almost bump into her when she stops abruptly outside of a brown door.

"I'll leave you to go in alone," Michelle says walking back the way she just came from.

'I can do it, I can do it….' Alex thought.

Alex puts her hand on the door handle and turns it gently.

Alex twisted the door handle and opens the door slowly. Alex peered around the room before her eyes settle eventually on Conner.

"If you've come to check the bleeding again there isn't any," Conner says without even bothering to look up.

"That's fine then, I'll come back later then maybe you can push me out of the way again and take another bullet through the chest for me?" Alex spit at him before she can stop herself.

Conner's head snaps up to look at her, and before she knows it he's on his feet and is at her side wincing in pain. That's as fast as I've seen him move before.

"Are you hurt?" Conner asks screwing up his face because of the pain.

"I'm fine, sit." Alex say trying to push him back to the other side of the room.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Conner asks again.

"I said; I'm fine dammit!" Alex hissed at him "Now back over there!" Alex said pointing to the bed.

"Fine," Winces Conner as he limps back over to the bed.

Conner sits down and looks directly at the floor, he refuses to look anywhere else at all. Alex couldn't see his eyes through his hair which is dangling across his face like ivy over growing the basket it's kept in.

Alex sits down in the visitor's chair, and watches him until he senses she was staring.

"What?" Conner says looking up.

Alex sits up straighter, fidgeting with her hands.

"Nothing, I…..Thanks," Alex blurted out. "No-ones ever done something like that for me before, I mean of course they wouldn't have because its not every day that someone drags you down an alley way and tries to shoot you but I…"

"But nothing, don't mention it," Conner says trying to shrug, he only gets half way there and winces.

Alex sighs.

"I mean it Conner," Alex says getting up and kneeling down in front of him. "Thank you,"

He looks up at her his hair still dangling over his eyes, and he blinks once, twice, three times. He stands up again, grabbing her hands to pulls Alex to her feet as well.

"What?" Alex asked, still aware that he's holding her hands in his.

"Don't mention it," Conner says trying to shrug again.

"Conner," Alex says uneasily.

"What?" Conner says.

Alex looks down and so does he, though he doesn't let go.

"What about it?" He asks smirking.

"I'm glad to see you haven't lost your oh so witty sense of humor," Alex says rolling her eyes.

"Me too," Conner says smirking even more.

"Would you please let go now, pretty please?" Alex asked.

"No," Conner says shaking his head.

"Why not?" Alex says trying hard not to laugh or smile because that would give him the satisfaction he wants.

"Because," Conner says trying to shrug again and wincing in pain instead.

Alex sighed again.

"You know you can't do that so why bother? You just put yourself in more pain." Alex say rolling her eyes at his stupid ness.

"True," Conner says nodding his head and looking around the room.

'What is the point of this? He's trying to embarrass me again, I know he is. He's going to stand like this till someone walks in and then pretend that I was the one trying to embarrass him. Not that I've analyzed his behavior or anything I'm no therapist.' Alex thought.

Alex was too wrapped up in her thoughts again usually when she does this something's happening that she doesn't notice till the last second then end up making a fool of herself…

"What the….?" Alex says realizing that Conner had let go of her hands and they were now on the small of her back.

Her hands are now resting on his arms; Alex looks around the room to make sure she hasn't missed anything.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked.

"Nothing," Conner says trying to shrug again.

"Will you stop doing that?" Alex hissed.

"Make me," Conner says smirking again.

"Fine," Alex says.

Before Alex even knew what she was doing she reached up and put her arms around his neck.

"Good way," Conner says trying not to laugh.

"Shut up," Alex says putting her head against his shoulder.

"Oh so you're hugging me now? Maybe I should get shot more often," Conner says sighing.

Alex couldn't see his facial expression but she knows he's smirking, she couldn't help it. She doesn't know why, she just felt like doing it. Damn her and her not thinking before doing anything.

Conner lifts his hands from the small of her back and puts his arms in the middle of her back instead.

"Maybe I should really get shot more often," Conner says again.

"Maybe you shouldn't, I really thought you were going to die." Alex whispered.

"Well I'm fine. No need to worry," Conner says sighing.

'I can't believe I'm doing this. What am I THINKING? What is HE thinking? Honestly next time Russo think before do, think before do….' Alex thought.

"Conner…" Alex says before being interrupted by the door handle twisting.

"Come on Alex visiting hours are…." Alex hears Sabrina start.

"All right I'm coming," Alex whispered.

"Okay…."Sabrina says silently shutting the door.

Alex suddenly doesn't want to let go of him, she feels her grip tightening.

'If I let go then he might….sometimes there's no telling when he will….leave this earth.' Alex thought quietly.

Conner lets go of her and pries Alex's arms from around his neck. Alex lifts her head and opens her mouth.

"Ill be fine, go get some sleep, and send James in here quickly, will you?" He says.

Alex merely nods at him and walks over to the door and grasps it before twisting it.

Alex twisted it and pulls the door open firmly as she closed it and outside in the corridor she leans against the back of the door and sighs.

Alex gathers herself together and takes the same route Michelle had shown her earlier, that leads her out into the area she had come running into earlier that evening, so scared that Conner was going to die.

Alex spotted Sabrina and James sitting on the chairs provided, they both get up as they see her approaching.

Alex merely smiles weakly at them and turns to James.

"Conner wants to see you quickly," Alex says trying to smile at him.

"Okay," He says trying to smile back.

Alex looked at Sabrina and smile pathetically, she smiles back.

Alex sniffed suddenly and her eyes stung badly. She knows she's crying but she doesn't care. He's okay that's all that matters.

Alex was silent all the way home.

Conner had given James very strict instructions which were to guide them back to her house, phone his and Sabrina's parents and tell them that they were staying at Alex's house for the night and would be home in the morning. He was under strict instructions not to leave Alex or Sabrina by themselves, adult in the house or not.

Sabrina is already asleep and so is James, Alex's lying on her back eyes wide open.

Her aunt made such a fuss when they all walked through the door, apparently it had been on the news though no names were confirmed apart from Seth's.

Alex wasn't even aware that the police had been informed at all.

Her aunt had started to panic the moment she had told her that Alex was involved, Megan had a complete hissy fit the moment Alex finished her story, Megan vowed never to let Alex out of the house without a body guard ever again.

Megan also said it was a lucky thing Conner was there at all.

'Conner…I wonder if he's asleep. Or whether he's lying in bed thinking like me, Or about me…? No of course he's not, not at all probably. Men. I wonder what will happen tomorrow. Or later today as it now is, three am. What does one do at three am? Sleep I guess.' Alex thought.

Alex turned over to face the window and got a beam of moon light fall across her bed and onto her face.

Moonlight, her dad always used to tell Alex there was a man on the moon though being so young she didn't bother to listen to what else he had to say because the thought of a man living on the moon was enough excitement.

'My dad, I haven't seen him for all these weeks. And probably won't ever again….. Ah well….better get some sleep I guess.' Alex thought.

Alex sighed and looked over at her alarm clock that's ringing off the bed side table. She's been up for hours anyway, so what did it matter? Alex goes over to her window sill looks outside for a moment looks for off into the distance and than walks over to the table and gently tabs the top of the clock to stop blaring out music.

Alex hasn't really come out of her room, since it is the early hours of Saturday morning when she arrived home from the hospital. Her aunt's been in a few times so far, with food and drinks, and sometimes to even try and get Alex to go shopping with her, but Alex just sat in her room on the floor with Jasmine at her side thinking.

'It was my fault Conner had got hurt, MY fault. I'm a horrible friend. If I'm even considered that.' Alex thought bitterly.

Alex sighed again and stuffs the homework she'd been assigned to do over the weekend into her school bag. There came a knock at her door.

"Come in," Alex says sighing.

"Dear your breakfasts on the table," Aunt Megan says sounding concerned.

"That's good," Alex replied rummaging around in her drawer's for a t-shirt to wear.

"I'm going to go early shop, so if you need to be picked up from school, just phone me okay?" she says.

"Yup, sure, fine," Alex says, dragging her jeans off the back of her desk chair on which they had be thrown last night.

Alex could hear her aunt sigh and she closes the door without saying another word.

Alex went into the bathroom and washed her beautiful shapely face, splashing with cold water then hot. Then she put on her jeans and a clean t-shirt with a pair of clean socks and grabbed her bag off her desk and walked down the stairs with Jasmine at her heels.

Alex pushed open the door to the kitchen and sees her fried breakfast sitting on a plate on the table in front of her. Alex sighed and picked the plate up, taking the bacon off of the plate and gives it to Jasmine which sniffs it and takes it from her unresisting hand immediately.

Alex shoves the plate in the sink after depositing the contents in the bin.

Alex hasn't seen Sabrina and James since Saturday morning.

'I wonder if their okay? I mean, they just upped and left while I was still asleep. Rude, but I suppose they didn't want to wake me really, which is understandable- me having had a hard night and all that.' She thought looking far beyond herself.

Alex locked the back doors and grabs her keys off the table by the front door.

"Be a good girl," Alex says patting Jasmine on the head and scratched her ears a little.

Alex opened the door, stepped outside and closed it again. Alex double locked it just to be sure.

She swung her bag further up her shoulder and start off on her way to school.

'I don't know why I'm bothering to go at all. I won't be able to concentrate but then again I can't stay home, it'd drive my crazy. I wonder how Conner is. I haven't seen him since the early hours of Saturday morning. I haven't made any effort to come out of my room really. Which is quite shocking for me, because I would usually go and spend hours in the garden reading or drawing, or if it would have been any normal weekend I'm sure I would have spent it with Sabrina, James and Charles doing something or other. Maybe even Conner…. God, I'm so lost in my thoughts this morning.' Alex thought.

Well why does it matter? She guessed that's a little predictable since as she had no one to talk to right now. She hasn't spoken to anyone in days; she just doesn't feel the need too.

Alex looked up and found herself in front of school already. Alex checked her watch.

'God, I still have like half hour an before registration.' Alex thought. Alex rolled her eyes. 'Typical me- always early when I'm having a crisis, but when I'm fine I'm always late.' She thought angrily. Alex smiled at the irony and notice as people around her were staring she couldn't help but to turn heads. Alex rolled her eyes at them and carried on walking.

Alex walked down the corridor and into her registration room. She opened the door and look around, no ones actually in there. Alex shrugged and goes to her desk and put her bag on the floor.

'I wish this day would end already.' Alex thought.

This day has just gone by really slowly, I mean it took forever to get past nine am this morning and it doesn't help that she has people staring at her everywhere she goes because of what happened on Friday night.

Alex hasn't seen Sabrina, James or Charles mainly because she's been avoiding them all day, again. She doesn't want to talk to them, not without Conner anyways. She would guess he's still in the hospital.

Alex looked at the clock and the minute hand is just about to tick three. The second hand gets ever closer and finally reaches the twelve and the bell rings.

'Thank god. The days over,' Alex muttered under her breath.

Alex stands up and little too quickly and get a head rush again, maybe it doesn't help your health if you do that or if you don't eat all day.

Alex grabs her bag off the floor and walk out of the room as quickly as she humanly can. She just starts walking as fast as possible to avoid anyone.

'I now have this weird phobia of people thinks to Seth its not everyday someone drags you down a dark alley way, tries to shoot only to get the guy who you lo…..wait…I don't love him, do I? I don't, I can't, and he's such a jerk. I don't like jerks. Do I? Oh god, this is so hard. I know he's okay but I feel like I'm dying without him and his sarcastic attitude.' Alex thought.

Alex walked out of the school building only to spot Sabrina, James and Charles and few feet away. Alex walked quickly past them and buried herself in a group of people so they can't see her. When all the people disperse Alex stopped and look around, Alex could see her aunt's car not to far away she starts half walking half running towards it and as the door opens, Alex stops dead in her tracks and drops her bag on the floor as a man climbs out of the driver's side.

"Dad….?" Alex whispered.

Before she could think her legs started to move, Alex started to walk slowly towards him then broke out into a run and threw herself at him. Alex threw her arms around his middle back and felt tears prick her eyes but she didn't care, her Dad's home. Alex knows she doesn't like crying in front of people and she knew people were looking and she didn't care about that all that matter was that he is safe.

"Easy kiddo, you're going to break my ribs!" General Russo says trying to laugh.

"Sorry," Alex says letting go and looking up at him.

"No problem," General Russo smiles at Alex and Alex grins back, she couldn't help it.

"You want to go home?" He asks.

Alex nodded and picked up her bag where she dropped it and goes around to the other side of the car and climbs in.

'He's home. Everything is going to be okay now I can feel it. My life can't get much worse, especially with what happened within the last few days.' Alex thought giddily.

When her dad opens the front door, Aunt Megan appears from the kitchen and screams at the sight of her dad.

"I told you to stay in bed and rest! I told you I'd go and fetch Alex!" She yells at him.

"Fetch? FETCH? Am I some kind of dog now then?" Alex asks trying to feign being puzzled.

Aunt Megan looks extremely annoyed and Alex grinned at her, her dad laughs.

"I have missed you little Russo-kins," he says kissing the top of Alex's head.

"LITTLE RUSSO-KINS? I AM NOT SOME KIND OF CHILD!" Alex yelled at them both, they both started laughing immediately. Alex stomps over to the stairs and glares at them both before walking up them.

As Alex opened her bedroom door she could still hear them laughing and Alex smiled a little herself. It's nice to have laughter back in the house again.

Alex slings her bag onto her bed and sighed; she hasn't felt this free in a while. She guessed she's been to stressed out to even notice she's been stressed out, that makes no sense but she doesn't care.

"So… your aunt told me what's been happening since I've been away,"

"Oh really?" Alex said turning to face her father and folded her arms.

"She said something about, a party, a boy with a gun and a handsome young man saving you and getting him shot over you." General Russo says giving Alex suspicious looks.

"What? It's all true, apart from the handsome guy part, because he isn't." Alex says shrugging.

Her dad raises his eyebrows a little but she knows it doesn't bother him, he's seen much worse of course.

"And is it true that you've only made friends with one girl and three boys?" he says in complete shock.

"Yes dad," Alex says rolling her eyes at him.

"Wow, I thought you hated members of the opposite sex, me included," He says through laughter.

"Not really just some," Alex says shrugging. "And one of them is NOT my friend, he's more of an acquaintance."

"Ah, are we talking about the on who saved your life but you protest you don't like even though it's so obvious that you do?" General Russo smirks at her.

"How…but….I DON'T LIKE HIM!" Alex screams at him and he laughs at her again and shrugs.

"Your aunts made some tea, want some?"

"Not more bloody tea," Alex says rolling her eyes. "I've had enough tea in the past few weeks' thanks!" Alex says when She sees her dad expression.

Her dad just smiles and walks out of the room, Alex followed closely behind him and shut the door behind her.

Alex could feel herself scowl again, 'This isn't funny. Not one bit.' Alex thought.

"Oh and her lovely young man!" Aunt Megan continues playfully.

"HE IS NOT MY YOUNG MAN DAMMIT! AND HE'S NOT LOVELY! HE'S A JERK!" Alex screams at her for the millionth time while her dad laughs.

'Yeah that's right dad laugh it up. I bet this is real funny to you, because believe me its not.' Alex thought rummaging inside her head.

Alex looked up at her aunt who is grinning her head off and Alex scowled again, 'This isn't funny.' Alex thought. Alex hears a faint "dinging" noise over her father's laughter and she jumped up immediately.

"I'll get it!" Alex says to them both.

"Oh yes you do that dear, it's probably your lovely young man!" Aunt Megan says while her dad snorts with laughter again.

"HE ISNT! FOR THE LAST TIME!" Alex yelled at her while she opens the door.

Alex gets a quick flash of color across her vision and someone yells at her,

"RUSSO! OH MY GOD! ARE YOU OKAY? YOU'VE BEEN AVOIDING US ALL DAY!" Sabrina screams at Alex.

Before she'd realized it Sabrina had thrown herself on her and screamed into Alex's ear hole, 'No wonder my ears are now ringing.' Alex thoughts were vibrant.

"I…well…" Alex mutters sheepishly looking at her feet when she lets go.

"Yeah you really gave us a fright you know?" Charles says.

"Sorry Guys I didn't mean too..." Alex says looking up and realizing James's there as well.

"What on earth is going on out here?" Says General Russo walking into the hallway, closely followed by Aunt Megan who grins immediately and looks around for Conner, her grin fades slightly when she can't see him to which Alex smirks.

"Um well dad, this is Sabrina, James and Charles," Alex says pointing to each of them in turn.

He shakes each of their hands and nods politely to all of them and they stare thunderstruck at him.

"Um hi…." Says Charles.

"So that's who you were running at after school! We thought it was Con…..Never mind." Sabrina says seeing the thunderous look on Alex's face.

"So where is the 'handsome' young man I've been told so much about? I'm not saying you two aren't," His little grin has faded slightly "It's just that I expect he isn't here since as Megan evil …I mean…err…"

"That's it! No dinner for you tonight!" Aunt Megan says marching into the kitchen.

Alex giggled slightly and her dad smirks at us all. When Alex looks at Sabrina, James and Charles; who all have looks of shock on their faces.

"Guess we know that deviousness runs in the family then huh?" James says grinning.

"And sarcasm," Sabrina adds nodding.

General Russo cracks up laughing and they all look at him like he's insane and Alex laughs as well and then they turn their attention to her.

"I can tell you made friends with a good bunch at least," General Russo says smiling and nodding to them. "But I'm still dying to meet this young man, Russo-kin," He says nudging his daughter.

"HE IS NOT HANDSOME! AND FUTHERMORE HE'S A JERK AND I DO NOT LIKE HIM!" Alex screamed at him and this time Sabrina, James and Charles crack up laughing as well as her father.

"So since she's not cooking dinner," General Russo says jerking his thumb at the kitchen door "What say you all have dinner out?"

"Can we? I mean if you don't mind," Alex says quickly.

"Sure, I'm not hungry anyway;" He says with a wave of his hand "It's on me,"

He hands her a wad of money and grabs Alex's jacket for her and hands it to her.

Alex takes it and look at the others who immediately all taking a step backwards and retreat out of the door waving goodbyes to her dad,

"Don't be too long Russo-kin, you have school tomorrow," General Russo says with a pointed look.

"Whatever," Alex said rolling her eyes to show that she understands.

'Still same old dad, though I'm glad his back.' Alex thought warmly.

Alex walks to the bottom of the drive where the others are waiting. Alex grins at them all and they look at her as if she's insane.

"So," Sabrina says linking arms with her "That was your dad, huh?"

"Yup," Alex smiles. "What did you think then?"

"Not bad, seems like you get your sarcasm from him," Charles says smiling.

"Ya don't say!" Alex says feigning being shocked.

"See what I mean," Charles says to James rolling his eyes which makes Sabrina and Alex giggle.

"We'll see ya tomorrow!" Sabrina calls from the bottom on the drive way.

Alex turns around and wave at them all before opening the door.

"You're well past your time limit!" Aunt Megan hisses at Alex before she can even shut the door.

"So?" Alex says folding her arms.

"So your father asked you to be back ten minutes ago!" She hisses again.

"Oh well," Alex say shrugging. "It's only ten minutes for god's sakes. Where is he anyway?"

"He's in bed, asleep. This is more than I can say for you. Come on, bed! Off you go!" She says practically pushing Alex up the stairs.

"All right I'm going! I'm going!" Alex says.

Alex opens her bedroom door and shuts it behind her again, quietly so she won't wake anyone that happens to be sleeping.

She throws her school bag on the floor and curl up on her bed. 'Tomorrows going to be fun…' Alex last thoughts for the night.

Alex opens her eyes slowly and looks around. Its only 6:45, 'why do you make me wake up now? Cruel world we live in, with stupid school.' Alex sighs and sits up; 'dammit I fell asleep in my clothes again!'

Alex rummages through her drawers and find some clean jeans and a plain t-shirt. 'Dammit, my favorites in the wash and this one's got kinda small anyway. Oh well.'

Alex packs her bag putting all the books she needs into it and then opening her bedroom door and drags herself out of her room and down the stairs.

When she enters the living room, all she can see is her aunt's backside. 'Lovely, something I really wanted to see at 7:30 in the morning.'

"Breakfasts on the table!" She sings.

'How does she do that? Maybe I think to loudly?'

When Alex enters the kitchen she sees her dad sitting at the table reading the morning paper.

"Morning Russo-kins!" He says brightly looking up briefly.

"I told you to stop calling me that," Alex scowls him.

"And I told you that you had to be on the time limit that I set for you," He says whilst reading the paper "Shame neither of us can remember small things like that isn't it?"

"I said I was sorry," Alex says rolling her eyes and pouring herself some coffee.

'Old bat I have for an aunt, she told him. I didn't think she would, although she told him everything else that's been happening whilst he's been away. Even every little detail about Conner, which is annoying.'

"I don't like him," Alex muttered without realizing it.

"You don't like who?" Her dad says looking up again.

"Um...did I just say that out loud?" Alex asked.

"Of course, it's not like I'm a mind reader, though with you sometimes I wish I were" He says smiling.

Alex just scowls at him. 'I am not that difficult.'

Alex opens the front door half an hour later, after having a rather difficult conversation with her father about Conner. Difficult being that he was teasing her and which made Alex scowl, a lot.

"Oh and by the way, I invited one of my army pals round for dinner," Her dad says casually.

"What army pal?" Alex asked.

"Some guy I met while I was out on the battle field, found out he lives just around the corner from here, it was a bit of a joke actually. It was more like "Hey since you live round the corner from me, and if we both get through this want to have dinner to celebrate?" And he started laughing. Turns out he has a son of about your age as well, so you should get on well with him hopefully, he does go to your school. Anyway Ill drop you off at school and tell you more about it when you get in later." He says shrugging.

"Whatever.." Alex says shrugging and rolling her eyes.

'Typical same old dad.'

'Today was hell, I don't ever want to have a day like this again, and especially since all the work I've now been given. Sabrina was screaming at me this morning, for leaving her on her own through out most of yesterday, in fact all of yesterday. But then she said she understood that I didn't want to see anyone. Then she screamed at me some more, and then she started teasing me about Conner. Strange child she is.'

"How was school?" Aunt Megan sang from the living room.

"Boring, same old same old," Alex says shrugging and pouring herself some soda. "Where's dad?"

"Upstairs sorting out his best clothing," Her aunt says as she enters the kitchen.

Alex shrugs, and looks around just as her dad enters and see he has the most puzzled look on his face.

"What's the matter with you?" Aunt Megan says seeing his expression.

"Odd, somehow there's soda over one of my shirts, and there's another soda stained shirt that isn't mine." He says holding up a white shirt with a huge soda splash in the middle of it.

Alex takes one look at the shirt and burst out laughing. Both her dad and her aunt look at Alex as if she's insane.

'I can just see it now, me throwing the can at him and it fizzing all over him….then him making me clean it up, I must have stared at his chest for ages…..'

"Alex!" General Russo practically yells at her.

"Eh? What?" Alex says regaining her composure.

"I was asking whose shirt this is, but then you started to blush a little," General Russo says smirking.

"No I wasn't blushing; it's just a little hot in here is all. That shirt belongs to Conner, the first night you were away, he and the others were here and I threw him a can of soda and it kinda fizzed up all over him, it was really funny actually." Alex says shrugging and trying not to smile.

"Aha," Aunt Megan says throwing a pointed look at Alex's father. "So that's why he was wearing the other of your shirts!"

"Why did you think he was wearing it then?" Alex hissed.

"On second thought's I don't want to know," Alex says as her aunt opens her mouth. Her dad laughs and Alex grins at him. "Anyway I'm going to my room for a bit," Alex says.

"Don't be up there too long! Our guests will be arriving soon!" General Russo calls to her as Alex walks out of the room.

"Yeah, yeah," Alex says waving her hand.

Alex enters her room and closes the door quietly so she doesn't wake Jasmine up, who's asleep on her rug in the middle of the floor as usual.

Alex tiptoes around Jasmine and over to her desk which just happens to be by the window. Alex pulled out her desk chair and lift her school bag from the floor where she dumped it earlier. Alex sits down and empties all the homework essay's she has to do onto her desk and sighs. Alex puts her arms over all her books and lays her head down.

'Why me? First of all dad's back, which I suppose is a good thing but it means my aunts going to stay until he's recovered which is going to be weeks possibly even months. I haven't seen Conner since that night in the hospital, but then again why should I care? I felt like I've been dying without him the past few days and I don't know why, which is annoying(bugging the hell out of) me. And to top it off my dad's invited some guy around he hardly even knows and I'm going to have to be all chummy with his kids, lovely, just lovely.'

There's a loud knock on Alex's door which wakes her from her thoughts.

"Come in," Alex sighed without bothering to lifting her head. "Listen; if they're here already I don't want to come down just yet." Alex says without even bothering to turn around.

"I figured you wouldn't want too, so I came up here to see you instead."

Alex sits up immediately and turns around to face whoever it was.

He's smirking as usual, leaning against the door frame trying to be ever so casual and cool.

"And you happen to know me that well do you?" Alex says standing up and folding her arms.

"Of course," He says shrugging.

"And how'd you figure that one out?" Alex says rolling her eyes.

"Well I did take a bullet through the chest for you," Conner says smirking at Alex.

"You didn't have too," Alex says rolling her eyes and hissing at him. "I didn't say, hey, Conner, fancy taking a bullet through the chest for me because I'm too young to die."

He starts laughing. He just starts laughing.

'I'm not funny. Not one bit. What's funny about that?' Alex thought.

He stands up straighter and takes his weight off of the door frame. He winces slightly and puts his hand to his chest.

"Does it still hurt?" Alex says looking at her feet.

"Yeah but it's nothing," He says shrugging.

"Well it doesn't look like it's nothing!" Alex hissed and started walking towards him, only to trip over something soft and as she braced herself for impact with the floor someone catches her.

"But I thought you said…" Alex managed to stutter.

"I maybe in pain but it doesn't slow my reflexes or reactions," Conner says helping her to stand up straight again.

"So you admit you're in pain then!" Alex hissed.

"Dammit," Conner says rolling his eyes.

Alex starts laughing at his stupid ness and suddenly he joins in much to her own surprise.

Alex looks down and realize he's still holding her hands, when look up again, Conner is unnaturally close to her.

"Conner…"Alex muttered.

His hand suddenly let go of hers and when she looks up again he hasn't moved at all.

Alex hair falls out neatly out onto her face and her fringe parts fall slightly out just down the side of her face.

Conner raises his hand and sweeps them behind her ear again, and smiles at Alex.

My stomach back flips completely and I feel my throat go very dry.

"What did you do that for…?" Alex muttered not looking at him.

"Because," He whispers.

"Because what…?" Alex managed to spit out before he slips his arm around her back and pulls her even closer to him.

Her heart beats so fast and loud she swears even he can hear it. He has a very serious expression on his face, not like the one he had before when we were this close.

Alex's heart beat starts getting faster and faster and her whole body heats up to be pressed up against him.

"What are you doing…?" Alex stuttered before he lowers his head "Conner…"

He lowers his head the rest of the way and he kisses her and to her surprise she kisses him back.

Alex opens her eyes to look at Conner and everything starts to blur and fade, She blinks and when she opens her eyes again she could see the view out of her window. Alex looked around to find she's still sitting at her desk, and Jasmine is still asleep in the middle of the floor untouched and undisturbed.

"Was that all just a dream?"

Alex looks around again and there is no evidence of the door ever being opened so it must have been. Alex breathe a small sigh of relief and smile in spite of herself; 'thank god that was just a dream.'

Alex looked at Jasmine, who is still dosing in the middle of the floor. She's so peaceful just like she was moments before her nightmare. Though Alex supposes her nightmare is far, far, far from over in the slightest because not only do she have that to battle against, but the real Conner McLeod and his family coming over for dinner because her dad thought it would be funny to make jokes when he thought he was about to die. Men.

Jasmine's ears suddenly prick up and she turns her head towards the door which opens seconds later.

"Don't you people ever knock?" Alex says to her aunt who's standing in the doorway.

"No dear, adults never knock you should know this by now," She says rolling her eyes at Alex and bustling into Alex's room "Have you any idea how that sticky patch found its way onto the floor just inside the doorway of your fathers room?"

Alex looked at her and tried not to laugh when she saw her expression.

"Um yeah, I dropped a cup a few days ago and forgot to clean it up" Alex said shrugging.

"And why did you not clean it up?" She hisses.

"I was going too, but after everything that's happened lately I just kinda forgot, sorry,"

"Ah yes, love gets to the best of us dear," She says waving her hand at Alex.

"LOVE? YOU WHAT?" Alex says shouting jumping up and knocking the chair she was sitting on backwards and it falls over.

"You know you're..." She starts.

"So help me god if the next two words are 'young man', I will not hesitate to scream at you. Do I make myself very clear?" Alex hissed at her.

"Suit yourself dear, they'll be here in half an hour, so you'd better smarten yourself up," She says with a glazed look on her face.

'Oh god, Ill be spending an entire evening alone with Conner and his family, what do I do? I start to panic immediately. What do I do? What CAN I do? Sabrina!'

"Is there enough dinner for another person?" Alex asked.

"Dear there's enough to feed an army literally," Aunt Megan says with a small chuckle.

"That's not funny," Alex scowls. "Well, can Sabrina come? Please?"

"You mean the loud girl with the hair?" Aunt Megan says with a puzzled look.

"She maybe loud and there's nothing wrong with her hair!" Alex scowled.

"Oh no there's nothing wrong with it, it just sticks out in weird directions that's all, and as for her go ask your father I have to clean a certain sticky patch" She says frowning at Alex.

Alex watched as she bustles out of her room again and she sighs, 'there's no way dads' going to let her come.'Ah well, it's definitely worth a try.'

Alex picked up the chair that she knocked over and place it neatly back under her desk whilst trying not to wake Jasmine who was now asleep again. 'I swear all that dog ever does is sleep.'

Alex walks out of her room and gently closes the door. Alex skipped down the stairs and jump the last three.

Alex toddles into the kitchen, to where her dad is reading the paper again.

"Dad?" Alex asked putting on an innocent face like I used to when I was younger, when I'd broken something.

"What do you want?" He says without even looking up.

"You think I want something?" Alex gasped. "I'm hurt! How ever could you think I wanted something?

"All right, all right spare me the 'I'm so hurt act' please." He says folding up the paper and looking at her.

"Can Sabrina come to dinner please?" Alex begged.

"Ask your aunt," he merely says shrugging.

"I did, she told me to come ask you." Alex says rolling her eyes.

"Well Alex its more of a family thing," He sighs "Wait, the only reason you want her here is not to be stuck with that boy isn't it?"

"Guilty as charged," Alex says shrugging.

His smirking this isn't good.

"No Alex, you'll just have to put up with him." He says.

"But," Alex says her eyes widening.

"No Alex, this will be a fun experience," He says smirking at his daughter.

"For who exactly?" Alex scowls.

"Your aunt and myself, who else?" He says casually.

"Whatever," Alex scowls and the suddenly the door bell rings.

'_CRAP! _Crap, crap, crap!'

"Ahh sounds like they're here!" Alex dad says rising from the table with a hearty smirk on his face.

"You smirk now but I'll have the last laugh you watch," Alex scowls.

"Oh will be watching with great interest," He said raising his eyebrows at Alex while pushing her into the living room.

"Dad!" Alex hissed at him.

Alex looked up again to find Michelle, a guy with long graying hair and Conner standing there staring at me.

"Nice to see you again!" The man says stepping forward to shake Alex dad's hand. "Thanks for the invite," He says winking and they both start laughing for some odd reason.

"Well, this is my sister Megan," General Russo says nodding at Megan who smiles, more like grins evilly to Alex but still. "And my daughter Alex," He says placing his hand on her shoulders.

"Sorry Conner's sister couldn't make it she had other plans." Michelle said.

Alex said nothing and just stared at them all and then her dad squeezes her shoulder.

"Hey!" Alex yelped and duck away from him rubbing her shoulder to hard.

"Say hello then Russo-kin," General Russo scowls.

"Hi," Alex says to them all.

Michelle laughs and smiles at her.

"Good evening Alex, lovely to see you again," She says smiling at her.

"You too," Alex says trying to smile while she's still rubbing her shoulder.

"I suppose you wanna meet my rowdy lot then?" The guy says rubbing his hands together like he was cooking up some evil plot. "Well this is my lovely wife Michelle, my very scornful son Conner and of course me, Adam."

"Well Conner, go introduce yourself to Alex properly, she is after all one of the lovely hostesses." Adam says nudging him forward a bit.

"We already know each other," he hisses at his father, while scowling at Alex.

"Unfortunately," Alex hissed at him.

'I can tell I've infuriated him already, good, insufferable nosey obnoxious git.'

He stands there scowling at her and Alex smirked at him.

"Right lets eat," General Russo says quickly not trying to hide the humor in his voice.

""This way," Aunt Megan says leading Jerry and Adam into the kitchen who are so obviously trying hard not to laugh, closely followed by Michelle who smiles and nods at Alex.

"This isn't over Russo," Conner hisses at her the moment the kitchen door swings shut.

"Your right, I'm only just getting started McLeod," Alex scowled back.

We try to stare each other down again,

"Whatever," Alex hissed throwing her hands up in the air and opening the kitchen door.

When she enters the kitchen everyone is wearing smirks as thought they've just had their ears pressed against the goddamned door.

Alex rolls her eyes which totally makes her dad crack, and he starts laughing just as Conner enters the room after her.

Aunt Megan clears her throat as everyone sits down at the table; Alex takes her usual place near the end of the table where her dad usually sits.

"To freedom and such." He says raising his glass of wine.

Just everyone begins to raise their glasses, there's a loud scream from outside.

All the doors and windows are open so everyone can hear exactly what's being said. Everyone stands up as a boy with blonde hair drags a kicking and screaming girl into view.

"Sabrina," Alex says horror struck.

Alex could feel everyone looking at her, when she say this.

"Glad I have your attention!" The boy yells. "Bring the other two!"

Another four boys drag Charles and James into view and for the first time, Alex notices that the guy is waving a gun about.

"If you don't come out here, I'll shoot them all right here, right now!" He yells,

"Stay where you are," General Russo whispers to Alex.

"No bloody way!" Alex shouts at him.

"Alex, stay where you are!" Charles shouts.

Someone to the left of her moves and she just ignore it. Alex continues to stare at Sabrina, who is now fighting to breathe.

"What are you doing Conner?" His mother hisses.

Next thing Alex sees him walking out into the yard unarmed, not with his hands held up, just walking normally as if nothing was wrong.

"Keep back McLeod, or I'll shoot her,"

"Conner, what the hell are you doing!" Michelle screams at him.

"Yes Conner, what the bloody hell are you doing?" Alex hissed and she feels everyone stares at her.

"Russo stay where you are," Conner says.

Alex just stand there dumbstruck, 'what the hell is trying to pull? He's gonna get shot…again he hasn't healed from last time and this time Seith won't miss again, he'll die if he gets shot again.'

Conner moves suddenly and before anyone can see him, he grabs Seth who instantly lets go for Sabrina and she falls to the ground with a heavy thud gasping for breath. James and Charles try to struggle free and gets no where.

Conner and Seth are wrestling for the gun, which is pointed so that she can't see it. It could be pointing at Conner or Seth I don't know. There's four heavy thuds as the guys holding Charles and James crash to the floor, they both start charging towards Conner and Seth when the gun goes off.

Before Alex knew it, she's dived around the table and run out into the yard and stop dead as Conner turns around. There's no blood on him at all there's no puncture wound, nothing not even a scratch.

Alex looks down at Seth who's clutching his foot yelping in pain and in spite of herself she smiles and he kind of smiles back at her.

Alex looks down at Sabrina who is being helped up by James and try and smile at her, who grins back.

"What about me right hooking the guy then?" Charles shouts spraying beer everywhere.

"Yeah you right hooked him only to have one of his mates beat you to the ground with a pole doofus." James says rolling his eyes and taking another swig of his beer while Sabrina giggles.

Alex rolls her eyes and Conner smirks at the both of them.

"So Conner saves the day again then, eh?" Charles sniggers punching him in the arm.

Conner tries to smile but winces in pain instead.

"Still hurt then?" Sabrina says looking concerned.

"A bit, nothing to worry about." Conner says shrugging.

"Sorry man, I didn't mean too…" Charles says looking at his feet.

"Naah, don't worry about it. Saving damsels in distress is what I do, I'm bound to get hurt in the process," Conner smirks waving his hand at Charles who sniggers.

"Okay, say that again and I'll punch you," Alex hissed at him and Sabrina and James laugh.

He grins at Alex and she rolls her eyes at him again.

The kitchen door swings open, we all look up from our seats in the living room to find Conner's parents and Alex's father standing there staring at us all.

"Its time for us to go Conner it's getting quite late." Conner's dad says.

"Ahh come on Mr. McLeod it's a Friday night" Stay and have a few beers!" James says waving his hands about.

"I don't recall you owning this house or living in it," Alex scowls at him and he just shrugs at her and Alex rolls her eyes.

Alex looks up at Adam and his face lights up almost instantly.

"Yes beer, that sounds like a good idea!" He jeers. "Fancy it? Going down the local?"

"Well…" Mr. McLeod says looking at Alex, to which she shrugs "Yeah okay then. Megan can look after things here for a while."

"I'll drop this lot off home, first and then we'll go for a night on the town!" He says with a sparkle in his eyes.

"I'm staying here," Conner scowls. "Believe me, there is no way I want to go home just yet, especially when he goes out they'll be unbearable," he added in undertone to Alex jerking his head at his mom.

"Fine, fine!" Mr. McLeod says throwing his hands up in the air and smiling "Let's go then!" And he practically runs to the door.

"Be good," General Russo says giving Alex a pointed look.

"Whatever," Alex scowled at him.

"Ohh what could cut the tension with a knife," James smirks lazily swigging his beer again.

Sabrina and Alex both kick him at the same time and he coughs and splutters beer all over himself.

"Great! Bloody great, I have beer all over my favorite shirt." He hisses mortified.

"Serves you right," Sabrina says sticking her nose in the air.

"Why? You wanna lick it off then?" He smirks.

"Oh please," Alex says throwing a cushion at him.

Conner and Charles smirk and they take swigs of their own beer.

"Fine let's make this even shall we?" James smirks at them both "Charles has the complete hots for the library girl and Conner had a dream about getting off with Alex,"

They both spit their beer out immediately. Alex sits there with her mouth open looking from James to Conner and Sabrina giggles herself looking stupid.

'What? WHAT? He had an exact same dream? Oh no…. he doesn't… I don't….oh no oh no oh NO!'

"I….I don't…I mean she's pretty but I don't," Charles stutters but no ones really listening they're all staring at Conner who refusing to look at anyone.

"Ha, I'm just kidding Conner didn't really dream that. I just wanted to see the look on Russo's face" James smirks lazily.

"You….I'm gonna…"Alex hissed jumping up.

"Easy Alex" Sabrina says jumping up ready to stop her from jumping on James.

"Easy? EASY?" Alex screams at the top of her lungs, while James and Conner laugh them selves stupid.

"I mean…yeah I like her but I don't think she'll ever like me…" Charles mutters.

Everyone just stops and stares at him. I look at Sabrina and we both start giggling, while Conner and James continue laughing.

"What?" Charles asks dumbfounded.

Alex carried on laughing along with Sabrina.

"If you like her so much why don't you just ask her out or something?" Conner asks.

"I could ask you the same thing," Charles scowls.

"How could you?" Conner asks coolly.

"I…well….err..." Charles stutters throwing a glance at Alex and she scowls at him immediately.

"That's what I thought," Conner smirks.

"That's what you thought? Excuse me?" Sabrina saids at him suddenly jumping to her feet.

"What in the hell is wrong with you?" Alex asked.

"Nothing…" Sabrina says throwing a dirty look at Conner.

"Now, now down Sabrina. Let Conner do things in his own time, like me." James says smirking.

"I gotta be going guys, I have a karate practice tomorrow," Charles says standing up and stretching.

"Well if you have too," Alex says yawning herself.

"Yeah and were going too," Sabrina says jumping suddenly and pulling Irvine up out of the chair he was sitting in "aren't we James?" she hisses.

"Err…Yeah, want me to walk you home, Miss Spellman?" He says bowing to her.

"Sure," She giggles as he straightens up.

"What about you?" Alex asked Conner.

"Me? I'm staying here thanks," Conner shrugs swigging his beer again.

"Fine," Alex says throwing her hands up in the air and walking towards the entrance hall to see the others out.

"Good luck Russo-kin," James smirks winking at her as he and Sabrina walk down the driveway and Alex could hear Sabrina giggling.

"See ya….and about the library girl ..." Charles says looking at his feet.

"I won't tell a soul, promise," Alex says smirking at him.

"Thanks Russo-kin, I'll see ya tomorrow!" Charles says brightening up and dashing out the door.

'Now everyone's calling me that' Alex shut the door behind them all and turn around to find Conner standing there staring at her.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Your living rooms been invaded," Conner hisses at her turning slightly red. "Come on, see for yourself," He says grabbing her arm and dragging her towards the living room.

He shoves open the door and Alex gets a wave of something twittering, than it hits her.

"Oh! There he is!"

"He's so handsome!"

"Your niece certainly has done well for herself,"

"I'VE WHAT?" Alex yelled marching around Conner.

"You heard me dear, you've done well," the old bat tweets again.

"Aww! Look there they're holding hands!" Chirps another one.

They both look down and see that Conner's still holding Alex's arm. He lets go immediately and Alex looks away from him but she can still see he's staring at her.

"He is NOT my boyfriend," Alex hissed. 'Or not yet at least.' Alex thought.

"It certainly looks like it," Aunt Megan pipes in as she walks out of the kitchen.

"Well he isn't," Alex hissed scowling at them all. "Come on," Alex hissed dragging Conner out of the room and across the hallway before she hears loads of "ooohs!"

Alex got halfway up the stairs before she realizes how this must look to other people. Alex turns around to see Conner looking bemused.

"What?" Alex asked dropping his arm immediately.

"Nothing," He says shrugging "I was just wondering…"

"Wondering what?"

"If you were ticklish," He smirks.

"Well I'm not," Alex smirked back and carry on walking up the stairs.

"Sure about that?"

"Yes, I'm sure thanks," Alex says waving her hand at him when she got to her bedroom door.

She opens the door and walked in and sits on her desk chair, Conner just hesitates in the doorway.

"You can come in, she isn't going to bite," Alex giggled as he eyes Jasmine asleep on the floor.

"I know that," Conner says shrugging and walking in shutting the door behind him.

He eyes Jasmine warily and sits down on her bed.

"So…" Conner says looking around his eyes settling finally on the picture on her bedside table "Is this your mom?" he asks picking up the picture.

"Yeah," Alex says looking at her feet.

"You look exactly like her, extremely pretty," Conner says.

"I'm….no I'm not," Alex says her eyes fixed on the floor.

Alex hears Conner put the picture back on the other side of the room, Alex could hear him moving across the room.

Alex sees him kneel down in front of her and Alex refuses to move her eyes off the spot on the floor they have been rooted too.

"Alex Russo," Conner says seductively.

'I don't speak, I don't want to speak, if I speak I'll crack. I'll just….I don't what I'll do but I can't.'

"Alex, look at me," Conner says raising her chin, so she's facing him.

'I'm not going to look at him, I won't.'

"Alex," Conner says again quietly.

"What?" Alex asked bracing herself as she prepares to look at him.

"Look at me," He repeats again.

Alex looks up at him and he's extremely close to her, his hand is still on her chin.

"You are the prettiest girl I know," He says.

Alex looks at him shocked, she can feel herself blushing but she doesn't care….that's the nicest thing he's ever said to her.

"That's…the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me." Alex spits out eventually.

"Rubbish that's a lie," Conner says standing up and folding his arms.

"It's true!"

"Sure it is," Conner says without even looking at her.

Alex stands up to get a better look at his expression.

"Conner…are you blushing?" Alex asked trying not to giggle.

"No. Don't be so ridiculous," He says sticking his hand in front of his face.

"You are!" Alex gasps.

"Yeah…well….I'm going home" Conner states.

"Fair enough, but you don't have to leave just because you said something nice for a change," Alex said shrugging.

"For a change?" Conner spits whirling around.

"Well you usually have this sarcastic side, and never say anything nice to anyone; you practically never talk to anyone. You almost always answer with one syllable a bit like…"

"You?"

"Well yeah but I have damned good reasons," Alex says plunking herself down on her bed. "So,"

"So?" Conner asks.

"So, what is the reason for acting the way we do?" Alex asked him.

"I don't like to do what people expect, if they don't like my façade who cares, why should I care about them? I don't need anyone else. Survival of the fittest." Conner says shrugging.

"Why did you have to survive on your own?"

"Because," Conner says sitting down on the edge of the bed "I was kidnapped and was missing for months when my mom was still pregnant with Kelly. My dad, when he was on leave went to look for me; meanwhile Kelly was born my mom fell ill after a while. She missed my dad and after a while my dad returned with Kelly but then was dragged off to war again. He was away for years which made my mother worse. Because Kelly's so much younger than me so I have looked after mom, I understood and I kept myself to myself which I think she appreciated at the time, so that she didn't have to much to stress about. I always got food and drink at meal times, regular sleep patterns, got taken to school on time. But I never really socialized I never really had friends, so I always went around on my own. When I got a bit older I could take care of myself, cook my own food or not sometimes you know the usual stuff. And then my dad came home for a bit it was fine, mom got better, Ellone was less stressed and I got a little happier. I always acted the same way at school though, never speaking to anyone or anything. Then a month ago the night your dad got dragged off, well…the cycle repeated itself."

'I...wow. I never knew why he acted like this but…..'

He stood up abruptly and sighed.

"Well, it's about eleven, I'd better go." Conner says opening the door. "Don't..."

"Say anything to anyone? No I won't."

"I was going to say talk to me at school but yeah that too." He smirks at her before walking out of her room.

Alex gets up and follows him down the stairs. When we reach the bottom, Alex opens the door.

"You are such a jerk sometimes," Alex says.

"And you're pretty when your angry," He smirks.

"I am not, and why don't you ever smile?" Alex asked folding her arms.

"Why don't you?"

"Give me a reason to and I might," Alex says trying not to smile.

"But I don't know what would make you smile, so you are going to have to tell me." He says trying not to grin himself making himself look stupid.

"Well I don't know," Alex says looking around.

"Hmm…sure you don't." Conner says folding his arms.

"Shouldn't you be going? Since you were in such a rush a few minutes ago," Alex asked raising her eyebrows.

"Well maybe you just gave me a reason to stay," He says stepping forward and putting his hand on the door.

"And why's that?" Alex says putting her arms behind her back.

"Well," Conner says taking another step forward and slowly closing the door as he does it. He inches closer and the door shuts.

He gets so close she could hardly blink Alex could tell he still has his hand on the door and Alex could hear him slowly shutting it, he gets even closer.

'Oh god what do I do? What do I do? Someone help me!' Her thoughts screamed. 'It's for the best.'

There's a loud crash and something collides with the door making us both jump. Conner takes one look at the door, which has now swung open and a figure is lying on the floor giggling like a girl. Alex looked up and sees her dad walking up the front steps. He stops and looks at Conner and Alex and raises his eyebrows.

"Oh, so what's going on here then?" General Russo says looking amused.

Alex looked at Conner and he looks at her and then we realize how close were standing to each other. We both step backwards immediately.

*Sorry fans if, I even have any, I have been busy at work but promise to update when I can for you guys very soon.

"We are doing nothing dad," Alex says shrugging.

"Okay Russo-kin," General Russo says grinning, he obviously finds this amusing.

"So, I'll be getting him home," Conner says eyeing his father with complete disgust…

"Um yeah," Alex says without looking at him.

"Thanks for bringing him here," Conner says to Alex's dad, while helping his own up.

"No problem," General Russo says nodding to Conner as he helps his dad down the drive way.

Alex and Jerry Russo both watch them till their out of sight and then Jerry turns and stares at Alex.

'Oh god, I think he's going to tell me off. God knows what for but I think he's angry.' Alex thought.

Alex looks at him some more and he just starts laughing.

"What?" Alex asked completely bemused.

"Nothing, just your face when I saw you two," Jerry says through fits of laughter.

"Whatever, I'm going to bed," Alex hissed while her dad laughs himself to death.

"It's not funny Sabrina quit laughing!" Alex hissed at her.

"No offence Russo-kin, but it's hysterical," Charles sniggers.

Alex looks at James for help and he merely shrugs and shakes his head at her.

Alex growls at all three of them, Sabrina and Charles snigger harder and James steps forward from his place against the wall.

"Now, now guys, it's not that funny," James says to Charles and Sabrina, who stop laughing and stares at him and Alex smirks "It's hilarious," and he said him himself starts laughing.

"You three are impossible!" Alex hissed at them and they start laughing even more.

"What's funny?" Some girl asks walking over to us.

"Just some thing," Charles says waving his hand at her while sniggering.

"Yeah something that Conner has for Alex!" Sabrina says laughing herself stupid, while James smirks.

"Excuse me?" The girl says looking at Alex.

"Oh no, they're just kidding because they think they're so amusing," Alex says scowling at them all.

"We aren't, he tried to ki…"

"Nothing!" Alex screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Whatever, just keep away from him. He's mine you hear?" She hisses at Alex.

"What?" Alex says almost dumbstruck.

Sabrina, Charles and James stop laughing and stare at her.

"Sorry?" Alex says.

"He's mine. He's like the coolest guy in school and he's mine 'cos like I'm the prettiest girl, most popular as well you hear? He's mine. Property of Pirie Gables," She sneers.

"Yes you said about three times already," Alex spat. "He's all yours, trust me,"

"Good," She says as she stalks off.

"What the hell was that about?" Charles sputters.

"Who knows, but Alex's got a fight on her hands over Conner." James says.

"Whatever, she can have him as far as I'm' concerned." Alex says picking up her school bag and flinging it on her back and walking out of the gym.

'Hers? Hers? I didn't notice any sign on him saying property of "Pirie Gables" or he acts in anyway hers. What am I saying? She can have him, I don't want him. I don't.' Alex thought screamed.

"I don't!" Alex hissed slamming her locker door shut and making a few fourteen year olds jump.

"Yes?" Alex asked when they start staring at her.

"Now, Russo stop scaring the small children," Conner says appearing at her side from nowhere.

"I could say the same for you," Alex smirked watching their faces fall even further when they see Conner.

They stand there staring at us for a few minutes.

"Run along," Alex says waving her hand at them and they scatter as though something was thrown at them.

"Well that was fun," Conner says leaning against the locker next to mine.

"What do you want?" Alex sighs rolling her eyes.

"Nothing, just enjoying the pleasure of your company," Conner smirks.

"Cut the smart arse cracks, what do you want?" Alex asked opening her locker again to take a book out.

"Mcloudyyyy!" A girl shouts before Pirie comes into view and glues herself to Conner who instantly detaches her.

"Aww," She coos in a girly voice.

Conner gives her the most disgusted look she's ever seen him give another human being and Alex tries not to giggle.

"The reason why I'm here," Conner says looking at her "I just wondered if you wanted to go the Corsair on Friday night?"

"The Club?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, with James, Sabrina and Charles of course," He adds quickly.

"Yeah of course," Alex say saying looking at the floor. "I'll ask them later when they stop sniggering."

"Sniggering over what?" He asks folding his arms.

"Oh nothing," Alex says smirking.

"Oh I'll be there." Pirie pipes in trying to hang off Conner again and he yanks his arm out of reach.

"Yeah good," He says not even bothering to look at her. "Coming?"

"I'll get back to you," Alex smirks.

"Whatever," He smirks back and walks off.

"Run along now," Alex says waving her hand at Pirie, before slamming her locker door and walking off.

"This isn't over Russo!" She screams at Alex.

"Your right, it's only just started…" Alex mutters to herself.

"So let me get this straight he asked you out, but he didn't?" Sabrina says looking puzzled.

"He did not ask me out, he asked me if I wanted to out with you guys with him, it's completely different Sabrina," Alex snapped.

"Sure it is," She says rolling her eyes at Alex "Anyway James and Charles say they'll go because it'll be a laugh apparently,"

"For you guys," Alex says folding her arms.

"Damned straight," She says laughing.

Alex rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Aww come on Alex," She sniggers linking arms with her "It will be fun, I mean, we haven't been out since that dreadful party incident,"

"Yeah I guess, but then again you aren't the one who agreed to go with the seemingly nice guy and end the night go off with him pointing a gun at you now were you?" Alex sighed.

Sabrina stops walking and so does Alex. She looks at Alex for a moment and bursts out laughing and so do Alex for a short moment.

"Yeah that was a fun night," Sabrina says trying to continue walking; only Alex doesn't.

"I'm serious Sabrina, what if that happens again?" Alex asked.

"Ahh come on you know it won't, plus you'll have Conner come to your rescue even if it does." She sniggers, so much so that she has to put her hands over her mouth.

Alex growls at her which makes her laugh even harder and then Alex pushed her playfully and she drops her folder on the floor to which all of her work falls out.

"Russo!" Sabrina hissed.

"Oh well," Alex says shrugging innocently, "Oh look here comes your knight in shining armor, I'm sure he'll help you," Alex comments when she spots James walking towards them.

"Knight in shining armor, now am I? I do wonder where I left my horse, I hope its okay," he says smirking at Sabrina who's sitting on the floor trying to gather up her work.

"Russo!" She hissed at Alex again.

"I'm going to be late for my English lesson" Alex started laughing at her and turns around and starts walking down the corridor to her next lesson. "Later guys,"

Even when Alex turned the corner she could still hear James laughing and Sabrina screaming "SHUT UP!" at him. 'Payback is so satisfying sometimes.'

Alex breezed into her English lesson very early and surprises her teacher even more when Alex starts grinning to herself as she unpacks her things.

"You're very cheerful this afternoon, Miss Russo," She says looking over her glasses at her.

"I have good reason to be," Alex replies.

"Mr. McLeod finally asked you out then?" She says smiling.

"No!" Alex said staring at her dumbstruck.

"Oh," She says trying not to laugh. "Its good news that your fathers been found," She says quickly changing the subject.

"Yeah, he's been home for a few days now," Alex says grinning again and she nods approvingly at her.

Alex sat down and a few minutes later the rest of the class slouch in obviously not wanting to spend two hours in the room that makes everyone goes to sleep. However today Alex doesn't mind and has no idea why she's so happy but she is and no one can change it.

Conner eventually slopes in and sits down right next to her in his now usual spot. He doesn't look at Alex, he just takes everything out of his bag arranges it neatly on his desk and then puts his head down on the desk, so all Alex could see is the back of his head.

Alex turned her head towards the front again aware that he's still got his head down on the desk. Professor Fox looks up as there's knock on the door and a small freshman girl comes in and hands her a note, Professor Fox studies it before nodding the girl's dismissal.

"McLeod, Russo you're wanted in the school office." Miss Fox says looking over her glasses.

The whole class turns around and looks at them immediately.

"No class, there's no need to look at them, head facing me or there will be two new assignments to do each on top of the one I'm going to give you tonight, " Miss Fox says disapprovingly, everyone's heads immediately snap back to the front of the room.

Alex starts packing up her stuff putting it in all in her over-sized bag while Conner does the same. He gets up without looking at anyone keeping his head low and starts slouching towards the front of the room, Alex stands up to quickly follow.

Conner takes the note and opens the door and strides out, Alex walks straight out of the room and Conner shuts the door behind her.

"Wonder why were being called to the office?" Alex asked walking along beside him.

"Because, you're my alibi" He says. "And so is Sabrina for Charles and James so really we are all tied in this together," He says lifting his head to reveal a fast appearing black eye and several cuts across his face.

"What the hell happened?" Alex screamed stopping dead in her tracks looking like a worried mother.

Conner looks around for teachers that might open the classroom doors and drags Alex around the corner.

"James, Charles and I went off campus for lunch," He starts.

"Wait, you were hanging out with them two? Why not me and Sabrina too?" Alex cut in.

"It was guys stuff," Conner says rolling his eyes "Anyway,"

"Wait, since when did you talk about or do stuff with Charles and James? You said you hated James and that Charles annoyed the hell out of you," Alex said cutting in again.

"Well we got over it, are you going to keep cutting across me or can I finish what I'm going to tell you?" Conner looks angry and he spits out some blood when Alex opened her mouth again

"Sorry," Alex mutters. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine, sorry I shouldn't have snapped," Conner says looking a little embarrassed and so he should be goddammit. "Anyway we were standing in the corner of the West's store; you know that one that one of the corner of Jay Street,"

"Yeah," Alex says nodding.

"Remember the Turner brothers?" Conner asked with an exceedingly dark look on his face.

"How could I bloody forget?" Alex scowls.

"They jumped us when we came out of that store, James and Charles tried to help but they were corned while the so called 'leader' of that gang came at me with a knife. And that's where these came from," He says pointing to the cuts on his face; Alex just merely gawp at him.

"What the hell did they want?" Alex asked horrified.

"Only to even the score," Conner says shrugging at her.

"Only!" Alex says staring at the deep cuts on his face.

"Now all I need you to do is tell them, we were in the Library with you at lunch time, and then they won't get suspicious and think it happened outside of campus," He says darkly.

"But your face..." Alex says weakly.

"I'll say I did at home to myself," Conner hisses.

"But that'll get into deeper water," Alex says.

"No it wont, they're used to it here, and it wouldn't be a far stretch from the truth." He says flatly when he sees the disapproving look on Alex's adorable face. "Old family history, it'll take me too long to explain but Charles and James know all about it, so they'll fill Sabrina in and I'll tell you later, okay?"

"Whatever," Alex says scowling at him.

"Let's go then." Conner says pulling Alex by the arm into the Office where Sabrina, James and Charles are already waiting.

"Now that you're all here, into my office the lot of you," Says a woman standing in the doorway of her office.

We all trudge in and stand in a line so that she can all see us.

"Now Miss Spellman and Miss Russo is it true that these three gentlemen only went off campus to get their lunches from home and came straight back and went to the Library to meet you two?" She says looking over her glasses at them both.

'Why does practically every teacher in this school wear glasses?'

"Yes Miss," Sabrina says nodding.

"Yes Miss," Alex says without stuttering or looking away from her.

"Then how Mr. McLeod did you get all those cuts and bruises over your face?" She asks leaning even further forward across her desk.

Alex kept her eyes focused on her not wanting to look away in case she catches her out for lying to her or something but she can tell that he's not looking at her and just staring at the floor.

"Do you want to talk about this privately?" She asks and when there's no answer from him she waves us out of the room "Go back to your lessons all of you,"

Everyone takes their cue and leave but Alex stood rooted to the spot.

"Miss Russo, will you please give us some privacy?" She hisses at Alex.

"No, she can be here for this," Conner says very nonchalant.

"Then I suggest you stop standing there, staring at me and shut the door Miss Russo,"

"Yes Miss," Alex says practically throwing herself at the door and closing it behind the other who looks very startled.

"Now Mr. McLeod, is it the problem we have before? At home?"

Conner merely nods.

"I see," She says "Would you like me to have words with the guidance counselor?"

He shakes his head and mutters "I'll be fine,"

"If you're sure," She says nodding our dismissal. "There's no point in going back to your lessons now just go home both of you."

Alex carefully turn around and opened the door; Alex walked calmly out with Conner closely behind her.

Alex gets all the way out of school and down to the pavement before she turns to look at Conner.

"We'll go back to my house. No ones there." Alex says and before he can even reply, and she turns around and start walking in the direction of her house.

'I know he's following me and to be honest I wouldn't care if he wasn't. I think…'

Alex and Conner finally get to Alex's big sun lit house and she puts the key in the lock and turns it. Alex calmly opens the door and walks inside; Alex waits for Conner to come in.

Alex shuts the door and turn to face him and then she lets it rip.

"How DARE you put me in that situation!" Alex scream at him "And I NEVER WAN…" Her screaming is cut short by Conner dropping his school bag on the floor and stepping forward.

He pulls Alex forward and puts his arms around her and she stands there limp and not knowing what to do or what she did to deserve this.

"Um," Alex started lamely when he lets go of Alex.

"Never mind," He says waving his hand at her.

"Right," Alex says nodding.

'I'm not even going to bother asking, why should I? All I'll get is a lame excuse, a scowl or he'll say the famous word.'

"So um….you want a drink or something?" Alex says clearing her. throat

"Sure," He says shrugging.

Alex walks leisurely into the kitchen, dropping her schoolbag by the door and looking around at the complete cleanliness of the place.

"My aunt obviously has had a field day in here and has now..." Alex says picking up an empty coffee mug off of the draining board "gone to meet her twittering birds,"

"Twittering birds?" Conner asks his eyebrows raised.

"The women? Sitting in the living room the other day?" Alex says.

"Oh. Them." He hisses frowning.

Alex goes over to the fridge and take out two cans of soda and Alex look at the cans and then back at Conner and smile.

"I'm just gonna go check on Jasmine," Alex says walking over to her school bag and slipping the cans inside gently before picking it up.

"What about your guest who's so obviously dying of thirst?" Conner feigns dramatically throwing his hand across his forehead.

"Well, the well fair of my animal is much more important than the over dramatically guy standing in my kitchen," Alex says drastically.

"I guess you'd better go see to fido then, huh?" He says leaning against her kitchen side.

"Or maybe I should train fido to attack strange men," Alex scowled.

"Maybe you should not let so called strange men into your house voluntarily then?" He smirks.

Alex rolled her eyes at him and pushes the door open. When Alex shut it she kneels down and takes one of the cans out of her bag. Alex shakes it as hard as she can purposely and then does the same to the other one. Alex slips them back into her bag and runs up and down the stairs making them well about to explode on McLordy his Highness.

Alex then walks back into the kitchen where Conner is now examining the local paper that had something to do with the new-est member's mark cappuccino instant coffee, he sure does love his black coffee though and has his back to Alex. Alex gently puts her bag down and slips the cans behind her back.

"Now, soda?" Alex suggest.

"I'm reading the paper and they are talking about Coffee it makes your mouth water, but sure whatever a soda's fine," He says not even bothering to turn around.

"Fine," Alex says going to the fridge and opening it.

Alex fiddles around for a while to make it look as though she's actually trying to find the only two cans that are left which she has in her hands. Alex moves things around for a while.

"Here we are," Alex says as Conner turns around.

Alex shuts the fridge door and throws him the left one. Which he looks at her suspiciously for.

"Yes?" Alex says innocently.

"Nothing," He grunts, he opens his own can and it fizzes like crazy and stains the front of his shirt again. His shirt clinging to his muscular chest.

"You!" He hisses. "You did this on purpose!"

"No I didn't!" Alex says trying hard not to laugh and Alex opens her own soda can which fizzes but not as much. Some of it drips down onto the floor and she's left with her own stain but not where as big as Conner's.

Alex looked as shocked as she could and looked up at Conner who is looking at her less suspiciously now and he starts laughing at her.

"Oh the look on your face, you know you could say you're a very good actress." He says smirking at Alex.

"What?" Alex says picking up a cloth and wiping the front of her shirt with it.

"That look of feigned shock, a normal girl would have screamed." He says.

"And what you call a normal girl?" Alex says trying to get the stain out of her perfectly blue t-shirt.

"You know like...Sabrina. Now there's no way of mistaking her for a boy with that hyperness," He says waving his arms around. He runs up to Alex and grabs her from behind, and lifts her off the ground. Alex giggles.

"And you want me to be like Sabrina?" Alex says looking up at him while he cradling her in his strong arms.

"No, god no."

"Then why did you say it?" Alex asks.

"Because…" He says shrugging than falling to the floor. They both giggled.

"Unless, you like Sabrina!" Alex says in shock, rolling over.

"What? No! I don't like her like THAT, just as a friend you know. She certainly is not my type,"

"No more like James's," Alex says rolling her eyes.

"Funny that's really. She's hyper and he's a womanizer, now why wouldn't that work again? Oh let me count the ways..." He says smirking at Alex.

"Oh for gods sake." Alex says feigning to get up off of Conner.

"Well it's true," Conner says sitting rigidly up on his elbows.

Alex throws the cloth at him. Conner ducks his head dodging it. He picks it up and looks down at his shirt.

"That won't come out with a cloth, that'll need to be washed." Alex says.

"Fine then," He says dropping the cloth on the counter. He reaches down the edges of his shirt and begins to tug it upwards,

"What the hell are you doing?" Alex screams.

"Well you did just offer to wash it for me," He says smirking.

"I did not!"

"Well you're gonna; I am certainly not going home with ANOTHER soda stained shirt!" He says tugging the rest of it off and holding it out to her.

Alex looked at him gingerly, just standing there in nothing but black skinny jeans.

"Wash it yourself…" Alex says trying not to look at him.

"No, I am the guest. You are the one who gave me the can so YOU can clean up your own mess thank you." He says still holding the shirt out.

"Will you put that back on? What if my aunt or my father walks in here?" Alex hissed.

"Than they'll think I'm modeling for you, for the cover of this month's spring fever catalog," He smirks.

"Fine," Alex hissed at him snatching the shirt without looking at him.

Alex throws it in the washing machine and puts some washing powder into the tray and closes it. Alex closes the machine door and switches it on.

"What?" Alex says straightening up to look at Conner who has been staring at her the whole time.

"Nothing," He says shrugging and folds his arms.

'How dare he do this, I thought he wouldn't take it this far but no Squall has sunk to an all time low hasn't he? Then again this is kinda my fault for fizzing the can but it was only supposed to be a harmless joke, but as per usual the proud and extremely stupid Mr. McLeod takes it one step to far. I mean it's not like I want to stare at his chest, that's his own fault for taking his shirt off. Just look at your feet Russo, don't say a word until the shirts finished being washed then speak after you've handed back his shirt then he won't be able to accuse you of staring at him. And it's still gonna be wet. Well it's not like he asked me to dry it for him as well, he only said to wash it right? And what was all that about Sabrina not being his type? I wonder what is his type. There's no harm in asking right? Not that I'm interested, not at all.'

"So what is your type then?" Alex says looking up at him and realizes he'd moved closer to where she was standing as she was having a very intentful stare at her own feet.

"My type of what?" He says frowning.

"Girl," Alex asked.

"Ahh, I see. You know I don't like Sabrina now so you wanna find out who I like," He says smirking at Alex.

"Not really, it was just a general question," Alex says shrugging.

"Okay then, I guess, she's stubborn, very hot headed and has a quick temper…" He starts.

Alex head snaps up so she could get a better scope on his facial expression while he saying this.

"She's extremely sarcastic at times; she has a good scope on life but not always the clearer picture. But she's very kind hearted when you get to know her, she'll stand up for what she believes in and always has one up on her enemies. She'll fight for her friends and family even if it means sacrificing herself and she's extremely pretty." Conner looks around at Alex.

"Oh," Alex says probably looking extremely sheepish.

'I thought he was gonna say something like a really morbid girl or she's really hot, but then again he isn't James, who will pounce on anything that breathes.'

He edges closer again, so that we look like something out of a porn movie or something and Alex stares at him incredulously.

"So, couldn't wait to get my shirt off again, eh?" He says smirking.

'Not only does he have all 21 muscles in his stomach, but that he has a real sexy fit figure. He's really very strong. - I recently found out the human stomach has 21 muscles, if you look at Conner's you'd fall… hey, wait a minute… I'm not in love especially to an egomaniac like Conner.

"RUSSO!" Sabrina shouts bursting through the door with James and Charles at her heels.

"Well, well, well, what's going on here then, eh?" James says tipping the brim of his hat and nudging Charles who folds his arms and smirks.

"Looks like Conner's finishing his private strip show for Russo!" Charles declares.

"He is not!" Alex screams.

"Sure Russo, it really looks that way!" Sabrina giggles.

Alex looks at Conner and scowls and he even he has the decency to look embarrassed.

'This could not get any worse. Really. They had to walk in didn't they? And they HAD to bring James with them. And we know he has a huge mouth. So this really isn't good. It's all over school, wherever I go I keep getting the strip tease song sung at me and certain dance movements that disgust me nonetheless. In other words apart from the gestures and the singing everything's back to normal because Conner is refusing to look, come near or even talk to me now. And I couldn't be happier except that I want to yell at him for what he did. Still I AM sitting in his seat in our English room which is satisfying because I know he's scowling at me and I don't care. This sounds like a completely boring assignment as well, good thing I'm making notes because it's that boring I'll probably forget it the moment I walk out of the room.'

Alex watches Miss Fox stroll around the room quoting from her teaching text book on the assignment she wants us to do and what it must contain. She suddenly stops speaking, Alex can't be even asked to look up mainly because she has to write this all down otherwise she's going to forget and not bother to do it.

"What is so fascinating?" Miss Fox barks at someone.

Alex not going to even bother looking up, forcing herself to concentrate.

"Nothing," Someone barks from behind Alex.

"Nothing Mr. McLeod?" Miss Fox says looking over her glasses.

'What?' Alex drops her pen down on her desk and looks around at him.

"Nothing." He said shrugging and sensing that she didn't quite believe him he quickly said in a mock voice "My notes! My notes are interesting,"

"Good, now then I need you to take down these bullet points that you must record in your assignments," She quoted brightly.

Alex rolled her eyes, 'she hates this and I'm never going to get this done in two days. I mean who does she think she is telling us to do a forty page assignment in two days? God? I think not. Can't think must write.'

Alex can feel herself suddenly stop again. 'Still gotta write must write.'

"Does that sound like fun?" She asks someone; to be honest Alex can't even be bothered to look up.

"What?" Some guy asks.

"The assignment. Doesn't that sound like fun Mr. McLeod?" She says.

"Yes, yes it does," He says

"More fun than staring at Miss Russo's ear?" She said sounding amused.

Alex looked up and turned around to look at Conner and the whole class started laughing.

'He was staring at me this whole time? Great. Just wonderful. Because there's not already enough going around to implicate us in anything.'

"Now let's carry on shall we?" Miss Fox says clearing her throat.

'Please God let me die now. It's another five minutes till I get out of here and that's long enough for anything else to go wrong. She's now explaining the length, ha, like we didn't already know and love her for the length of this impossible task she is setting us. Must concentrate now.'


	2. Chapter 2

*So I didn't end it but there is only one new chapter in that for my latest viewer MesstLittleTearDrops, and a job well done in taking time to read this all. I did it so I have more room sorry if I made a inconvenience. Now I might take it in a new prospect let me know what yall think, thanx

~Silgi

Alex Russo's Spring Break's Resolutions

I will get over Conner. He's bad for my image. If I have any image, what would they be considered? Hell if I know, but he's a bad egg. Did I just say that? I'm turning into my father.

Crushes are not Love. They are temporary, fleeting and unfound like that paper I was suppose to do. Anyways where was I? Do not make a mistake that a crush is the love of your life. I need to stop obsessing and start living. I'm Alex Russo, the girl from New York let's kid you not, but was very un-like this! I wasn't the pinning for a love one. I was the one that chased or was being chased. Now who sounds conceited?

Conner McLeod

5:30 A.M.

Alex Russo. The Alex Russo, the girl with the gorgeous face, beauty is not a virtue but that girl has it all. Do you know why I'm actually showing interest in someone? (Aside from the fact I hate this feeling I get when I'm with her.) I honestly can't say why I'm showing interest. It is SO not like me, to be opening myself to… being a hopeless romantic. I'm Conner McLeod, I work out at a smelly gym, given a body like this is more of a curse than a blessing.

Alex Russo

5:52 A.M.

This isn't what I expected. I've imagined getting up later in the day taking a long hot bath, not thinking about Conner. I have nothing to complain about, but why am I wearing a yellow minidress today when my mood is so gray?

Conner McLeod glanced warily at the throng of students crowding the hallway of West View High School. He scanned the crowds for a familiar face. He found Mariah standing off to the side. Mariah Williams was his old friend that he grew up with.

"Riah," he called, fighting the temptation to actually run over there and pick her up, she moved away and now she was back on his turf. It has been a long time since he had seen her.

"Hey," She said, her expression gaping at her longest but oldest friend she had here.

"What are you doing here? Weren't you in like Florida?" He said shocked at how tiny she is.

"Yeah, I was, but I got kicked out of the High School there." She confesses.

"What are you like 5'2"?" Conner asked.

"Actually, I'm 5'3"." Mariah said's feeling smaller than she actually is.

"Well it is good to see you; we need to catch up some time over coffee." Conner said.

"Yeah, you too. Talk to you later." Mariah leans on her tippy-toes and kisses Conner on the check.

Alex stopped dead in her tracks to see a skinny milk chocolate girl kiss Conner McLeod. 'Who knew he'd move on so fast?'

"Damn," Conner mutters to himself as he sees Alex Russo, he dreaded this moment to catch up to him and he decided to stalk off.

"Conner!" Alex runs to catch up to him. "Who is that? Your new conquest?"

Conner stops turns to her, "Not like I have to explain myself to you or anything but she's just an old friend."

"Yeah I can see that. With her all over you." Alex said's.

"What you jealous or something?" Conner smirks.

"As if, I would be jealous of her, I happen to be 5'5" much taller than lil mama over there." Alex shouted.

"Did spring break alter us that badly?" Conner asked.

"You never called me! And you were fooling around with half the girls from other schools wearing skanky skirts!" Alex was so mad her face turned red.

"If you cared so much, why didn't you come to me?" Conner asked.

"And what Conner? Cry on your shoulder? I'm not a helpless little waif you see me as!" She turned around and walked away.

Blond. Brunette. Brunette. Blond. Tall. Taller. A smurf. The possibilities seemed endless to Alex to get over an egotistical womanizer Conner has suddenly became.

She just glanced around the room surrounded by new kids.

A Couple Days Earlier

"And a special broadcast. An Earthquake on this side of the state has skyrocket, literally, tumors that demolished the most houses it has in the past decade, over 10,000 people houses been destroyed, 1,600 people injured or what we believed to be killed."

Alex woke up to a ringing in her ear. Lights flashing. She was in the nearest hospital.

'Her house had crumbled… she can't remember what was going on. The last thing she saw… she closed her eyes, tears filling in the crevices. Where am I? God, what is going on? Her head hurts; she needs to lie down…'

Alex fell into a coma.

A week later

"Are you feeling, alright, hunny?" Jerry Russo was in the hospital sitting across from the bed she was laying in, he looked like he hasn't slept in weeks.

"Where am I?" Alex asked.

"Don't you remember? The earthquake?" Jerry Russo asked straining to keep his eyes open.

"I don't remember." Alex said meekly.

"We have to move in a family friend's house till our is rebuilt." Jerry Russo said nonchalantly.

"Ok," Alex said quietly.

"Let's get you set up, and we'll just sign to papers to get you released." Jerry Russo said standing up.

Conner was at the Corsair with another girl he decided to date, His Miss Wednesday. He was getting girls every day of the week. He thought what the hell, it is spring break. The last girl he expected to see was his Dream Girl. Alex Russo. But he had to get her out of his system in some way, shape and form, and it isn't like she was his girlfriend. But when he saw the hurt he her eyes he wanted to die. He slowly eased the arms of the girl off, and started to walk towards Alex to explain.

Alex turned away from Conner watchful eyes, tears forming in her eyes. Wasn't they supposed to hang out since it is spring break? He recently seems to be interested in only her. Had that change? She ran out of the Corsair smoke filled room, she had to get away, she had to get air. She needed to breathe. The fresh air was a refreshing relief from the Smokey Club. Alex got into her Honda S2000 slammed her door and drove off without looking back. She didn't need this. Conner is dead to her starting after spring break.

Present Day

THE AFTERMATH

"Can you believe all these new kids?" Sabrina asked Alex in homeroom.

"Huh?" Alex glanced at her friend.

"Weren't you listening? The new kids, after the quake during spring break we got so many kids from East Creek High School." Sabrina gushed.

"Are you going to the orientation meeting for the East Creek High students? I have to run it." Alex said.

"Alex Russo, you weren't in any extra credit class last semester, you go girl. Maybe you'll get over the whole Conner vibe when you go meet all the new hotties." Sabrina kept right talking.

"I don't know about that." Alex said.

"Guys are like tissue, use once and throw away and if he's hot well you know you have to keep seeing him." Sabrina said.

"Why did Conner become a complete jerk?" Alex asked.

"Hey, you are a smart independent woman you don't need gorgeous model boi." Sabrina said.

"See? Even you think he's gorgeous." Alex said.

"Hey I'm a girl with taste but if he doesn't like you for you, hunny it's his lost." Sabrina said. "Seriously forget about the boy, find a guy like James."

"I don't want a southern man, sorry, he's not my type. No offense to you." Alex said quickly.

"Hey no dissing my man, he's very southern and I'm proud of it. He's well groomed and mannered when it comes to ladies." Sabrina blabbed on and on.

Alex just glanced out the window, daydreaming about a new guy, a so not Conner. Maybe Zack, boy blond is available.

"I hear Mr. Lee'on is a total jerk," Zack Goodwill said unhappily.

"I heard the same thing, one time he made a girl sit on her finger just because she didn't know that quotation marks come after a person talks in a story." Matt Grueling mimicked a girl he heard from that class earlier. "So this is West View High School."

"Yeah. I can't believe our school got trashed in the quake." Zack said his golden locks coming down sharply, making him look more like an angel than a human.

"So, I got this hot chick name Alex Russo in my English class." Matt said.

"Yeah, she's cute, but did you see the blond she's with? Major cute." Zack said.

"Dude you're a freakishly blondish weirdo for liking another blond you two could be related." Matt said.

"Hey stop joking man, I like blondes too so what's the big deal?" Zack asked.

"Nothing, I'm just saying a brunette is the way to go." Matt said.

"Her hair is like black man, get your eyes checked." Zack said.

"She's a brunette I tell you. And either way Light hair guys go for dark hair girl and vice versa." Matt said.

"We all have different tastes man; you can't generalize things by what you see. I might date a dark haired girl but really like the blond hair one, it's really a place of getting to know them individually not by the color of their skin or hair." Zack gave his friend a stern look.

Alex opened the door of the classroom. Seventh period, creative writing. Alex had waited for three months to get into this class. As far as she was concerned, this class was her chance to make something of herself.

Alex slipped into a front-and-center desk, once again struck by how unfamiliar people populated the newest class elective. She tried to blot out a feeling of resentment toward the ECH horde before it fully expressed itself in her mind.

The class bell rung.

They passed a seating chart to sign.

"Let me tell you what this class isn't about," Mr. Lee'on said, his voice instantly dying down the chaotic buzz of a too-crowded classroom. "It is not about writing saccharine, rhyming love poems about your boyfriends and/or girlfriends."

He turned to the board and wrote NO Cheesy Love Poems in huge letters. "It is about working all of your teen angst on notebook paper, do I make myself understood?" He said hypothetically.

"Ms. Russo, can you share with the class why it is that you think you deserve to be in my class?" Mr. Lee'on asked in blatantly.

"Well, I've written ever since I was a little girl," Alex said, the anxiety falling away. "But I need direction. I strongly believe that writing is worthwhile in life, requiring dedication and discipline."

"Please." It had come from the back of the room. "That's bull. And you know it."

'What? Was he talking to her?' Alex whipped around in her chair. Mr. Lee'on and virtually in the class were looking at the back of the room. She knew immediately who had said the words. Dark brown hair, hazel brown eyes that glitters and a smug smiled that announced to the world at large that he was a class-A jerk.

Mr. Lee'on glanced at the seating chart, which had made its way back to his desk sometime during class. "Joe Lucas," he read. "Enlighten us."

"From my experience writing comes from the gut," Joe said. "Authors are not made they are born." He flicked his eyes toward Alex as if she was a gnat resting on a bologna sandwich. "She probably writes flowery prose about how getting her first date is the rite of passage."

A few ECH kids snickered, and Alex drew a sharp breath.

'Who was this guy? Why was he attacking her like this? And why does he think he can treat her like this in her new school?'

Mr. Lee'on raised his eyebrows. "Controversy, I like. And we write on stuff about that."

And that was it-no rebuke, no admonishment, and no lecture on peer support. Alex slid a little lower in her seat, battling shock, anger, and rising insecurities.

Had she really sounded like a bubble head? A prim Madonna?

She glanced down at her yellow dress and her low-heeled sandals, feeling uncharacteristically self-conscious. She tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. Were all of these new people perceiving her as a total lightweight?

Did you have to wear ancient retro clothing; like that tattered Armani Exchanged crinkled shirt or those Dr. Martens boots in order to be called artistic?

Alex wished she's been able to come up with a scathing response.

She wish Sabrina would stop throwing her round-eyed looks of sympathy.

This jerk in the back of the room didn't know her, and had no right to pass judgment on her. But the class had moved on, and Alex was left with nothing but unvented fury. She wouldn't forgive this new Conner wanna-be, she couldn't and Alex would show Mr. Lee'on that she was made up of more than just hearts and rainbows.

Joe Lucas glided out of the door after last class and cut across Alex Russo, who still was fuming, he bumped into her causing her to drop her text books.

Joe bent down and started helping her gathering up her books.

"Why are you helping me?" Alex asked.

"I'm only human. And I didn't mean to offend you earlier." Joe mumbled under his breath.

"So what were you trying to do?" Alex asked.

"Get your attention off of Zack and onto me." Joe said.

"What?" Alex exclaimed.

"I said to get you to stop looking at Zack and to notice me." Joe said again.

"And why would you want that?" Alex asked.

"Can't a guy just want to get to know how a girl ticks?" Joe said.

Alex looked up and brushed her knees off with her hands and stared at Joe, who resembles Joe Jonas in a way but better looking with a more defined nose. His eyes her glittering with flakes of green.

"So? Joe, how about we go grab a pizza or something?" Alex asked.

"Are you already asking me out?" Joe chuckled in a adorable way that Alex couldn't help but to grin.

"Do you want to take my car or yours?" Alex asked.

"Mine's in retail right now. So let's take yours." Joe said.

"What do you drive?" Alex asked.

"A 500,000 dollar Ferrari, how about you?" Joe asked.

Alex mouth hung-open. She just recently got an S2000. It's pretty but cheap compared to Conner's 100,000 dollar Jaguar, and now Joe's 500,000 dollar Ferrari.

"Mine's the light blue S2000 over there, I know it isn't much of a car but she runs great." Alex explained.

"Hey, we aren't all made of money and that's ok I don't judge a girl by the income she makes." Joe said.

"What do you do?" Alex asked.

"Well I'm into the music industry sort of, I dabble with new bands, and own a restraunt. How about yourself?" Joe asked.

"I just started working at a coffee shop, not to far from where I live." Alex said.

"We'd have to dine there some time." Joe said his eyes tinkling.

Conner McLeod turned from the drive way and bumped into Joe.

"Who's this?" Conner asked Alex.

"As if I need to explain anything to you." Alex blurted out.

"Hey, man clearly your making Alex unhappy, how about you take a walk?" Joe said calmly.

"Look man, I don't know who you think you are but if Alex wants me to leave all she has to do is say so!" Conner said.

"I want you to cool off Conner, what are you so mad about anyways?" Alex asked.

"Nothing I'm fine. As if West View High school needed more rich kids." Conner mumbled walking away.

"It was you who broke my heart." Alex said with tears in her eyes.

Joe stood there and wrapped an arm around her delicate figure as she cried hardier.

Alex shook away from Joe's embraced, "Sorry for making your shirt wet."

"A little water never hurt anyone." Joe said.

Alex had said that she would make a rain-check on that pizza some day this week. And as a gentleman he kissed her hand and left her to her thoughts.

Alex made it through orientation without seeing Conner before her luck ran out. He was standing with a small clump of ECH kids- Mariah Something, Jessica Collins, Elizabeth Monet, and Zack Potter- near the entrance to the cafeteria. He'd be sort of hard to avoid if she felt like eating today. Pretty much the second she was through the doors, he spotted her and walked over.

The place was a madhouse. The cafeteria was noisy, so an extra hundred-plus seniors gave it roughly the volume of a rock concert. She could see that they'd beefed up the serving staff and added extra tables around the perimeter. Students were spilling out into the courtyard, where more tables had been added.

"Hey, Russo," Conner said. Of course Alex had known this moment would arrive.

Alex tried to plan word for word what she would say to him when they came face-to-face after the incident yesterday. But now that her almost was boyfriend was actually standing less than two feet away, Alex's prepared speech abandoned her and a small flutter started in her stomach.

He was irritatingly good-looking. Being a high school basketball captain must win some points with the other ladies. He was deeply tanned and strong, and about five-nine; he had longish rock star hair now. He smelled faintly like sandalwood. She could feel his breath on her hair. 'Be cool, Russo.'

"Hi, Conner!"

The greeting came out a bit too excitingly. For about half a second Alex had to fight off the urge to just step into Conner's warm embrace. She used to watch the TV soap opera Gossip Girl and he was more like a Chuck Bass, if you know what I mean. Which was rich, cool and womanizer, but the shades he was wearing were nice, she noticed, 'Get to the point, Russo', Alex scolded herself. She is trying to cope with the annoying family she has to live with currently, but knowing Conner he wouldn't understand what would having a lost of a house and dog was like. 'Focus, Russo. Pull it together.' "We need to talk." Alex said abruptly.

He shrugged. "I guess I'm over you and not over you."

"What does that even mean? You sound like a two-year-old. Anyways you blew it. I'm going to date Joe." Alex said.

"I can't stay away from you because you draw me towards you. And I know you feel it too. It's destiny." Conner said.

"It's called lust or a crush, Conner McLeod, which seems like you had plenty of during Spring Break when I was going through some stuff." Alex mumbled tears creeping to her eyes.

"The coma…" Conner said.

"How did you know about that?" Alex looked up at him.

"Because I pulled you out of the rubble, clutching you to my body and bringing you to the emergency room." Conner said.

"You were there and you went to… other women?" Alex felt like she was hysterical, an upset insane stalker or something.

"I can explain." Conner said.

"Just you try." Alex turned around stalking off. Some of the light had gone out of Conner's blue eyes, but Alex felt a rush of exhilaration as she felt at peace.

'Hello, Senior year. Hello, life.'

*Author's Note: Sorry for the time crunch, but my mom told me to go to bed hours ago, but READERS don't be shy if you have a story for me to read post them and/or email them, give a link for me to read them- that would be amazing, I love to read on my spare time.

*Author's Note: I'm introducing more characters because I need more too make my story flow better. Just bear with me. And tell me if it sucks will you? Thanks for all my fans. I am very flattered. And I've been going through a heart break recently sooo maybe I'm not fit too write but here goes nothing….

Melissa Brown

7:38 A.M.

I hate new things. I'm sorry, but I do. I hate change, I hate losing, and I hate surprises of any kind, Is it any shock, then, that this spring break has been a living hell for me? First the earthquake, which all but destroyed my house. My spring break plans were ruined when my parents carted me off to Colorado to stay with my freaky cat loving aunt Claire. Then I found out about school. For the first time in three years I was actually looking forward to high school, and than I find out the damage from the quake was so bad, the school board was sending half of us to either West View High School or North Shore High School. In less than an hour I'm going to be walking the unfamiliar halls of West View High, being stared at by strange faces and hating every second of it. Thank God I still have Zack.

Melissa Brown carefully folded her cheerleading sweater into locker number 321. Those were her three favorite numbers, which she took as a good omen. She'd had the sweater since May of sophomore year, when she'd become the youngest member of the East Creek varsity squad. Last year, when she'd been voted captain, she had been presented with a new sweater that spelled out her titled in gold threat over the breast. But her old brown sweater was her good-luck sweater, which is the school colors, gold and brown, so she just stitched the word captain over it with her own gold threat she got from Michaels. Foe some reason she couldn't bear the thought of throwing it out. She hadn't it to anyone, she didn't want anyone think she was a superstitious freak. She already fitted the locker door with a mirror and three pictures she always kept close to her: one of her mother's wedding, the one of her and Zack at their junior prom, and one of her brother and sister the day she'd turned five. She took a quick glance in the mirror before slamming the door. She had three minutes to find Zack before history or calculus; she really didn't care whether it was science or drama class not that she had it. He had journalism this period- she'd at least memorized his schedule. After an orientation, a tour, an assembly, and an uncomfortable number of strangers, she realized she rather do this all on her own or have a teacher direct her to her next class. Zack's locker was 687, none of her favorite numbers. He turned to look at her, and she noticed immediately the tension in his face.

"What's up?" she asked him.

"This sucks, Liss," he said, shutting his locker with a bang.

She tugged on his sleeve. "Could you please elaborate?"

"He shrugged her off impatiently. "This was supposed to be our time. Seniors. We waited three years for our chance, and now we're demoted to new-kid status."

She wanted to touch his face. She loved the way his gold-brown hair had grown long this spring break, it curled sweetly around his collar. But he needed space at the moment. "More football stuff?"

"Yeah." More. I'm getting hazed by guys who are supposed to be my teammates. I'm getting taunted by Jake Dilinger's offensive line. These guys are more loyal than dogs. Even the coach himself laid it out for me at the end of training camp yesterday. He said Jake was his first-string, no and or buts about it. That's that."

"So you'll start out as second-string, there's nothing wrong with that baby." She said reasonably.

He shook his head in disgust. "You obviously don't get, Liss. I'm not going to get a division one scholarship as second-stringer."

When he got like this, she knew how to handle it. She was quiet. She waited. He wanted to be provoked, and he would try to provoke her. She wouldn't take the bait.

"What about you?" he demanded angrily. "You think you're going to be captain of the cheerleading squad this year? No chance. Some girl named Hilary Douglas already owns the title. It doesn't matter how good you are."

The bell was about to ring. She had ten seconds to diffuse this tirade. She shifted her books in her arms. She knew when he needed comfort, and she knew when he needed something else.

"The West Valley crowd has what we want," she said slowly. "Until we take it. All's fair in high school." She focused her gaze on a slender red head in a very short skirt. "I haven't met Hilary Douglas yet. But I'm not afraid of her."

Sabrina Spellman

So were are about a month in after the earthquake incident, and in attempt to get our minds off our troubles, my aunts wanting us to leave for awhile till things get settled here. But the thing is, I don't want to leave. Why get stuck in a person's past when you can look forward the future? I know I may not recover from this horrible incident but I have my great friends by my side.

Dreyer's Fun Flavors Butter Pecan…Alex Russo was hungry, she finished her calculus problems and her reading assignment for English, and as she sat staring at her empty creative writing notebook, all she could think of was food.

The problem was, she hadn't eaten enough for dinner. Every time she sat down in the straight-backed upholstered chair in the Peterson's vast dining room, her stomach tied itself in a knot.

The conversation was very awkward. The Peterson's and Russo's really didn't have much in common, so her mother filled up the spaces by blathering. It made Alex cringe to see her intelligent mother babbling endlessly without actually saying anything important. She hated to imagine what Mr. and Mrs. Peterson thought of it. Then, as the meal drew to a close, Alex's stomach would twist into a double knot in anticipation of the politically infused conversations between her father and Mr. Peterson. Every night it was the same. Her mother babbled while her father talked politics. Alex went up to the spare room that the Peterson's kind enough gave her. She threw her notebook on the bed, and then stepped quietly out of her room and down a long corridor. She wished the kitchen weren't so far away. She tiptoed down the grand circular staircase and through the series of rooms that led into the kitchen at the back of the mansion. It was weird. Alex had practically spent her life in the Russo's sub shop she often did homework in the past at the kitchen table eating snacks. When the Peterson's daughter wanted a diet Coke, she buzzed for it, and a servant whisked it to wherever she was. Alex paused at the door to the kitchen. 'Please, for once be empty', she begged of the room. She stopped breathing as she pushed gently on the door that apparently is electric. Her heart sank. Mrs. Gattos and Helena, the Peterson's two maids, were there, chatting. She could tell they were not totally overjoyed to see her.

"Hello, Alex" Mrs. Gattos said.

"I was wondering if I could….you know…get a snack."

Mrs. Gattos obviously didn't believe in snacking or snack time. "Let me get it for you." It sounded more like an official order than an offer.

'No, I'll get it myself! Thanks.' Alex wanted to say. "Oh. Okay, thanks." She said.

"Would you like what you had for dinner?"

"Or a salad you a healthy looking girl, you model."

Why couldn't Alex just say she wanted Dreyer's Butter Pecan ice cream? She knew there was some in the freezer. She probably would have had the courage to ask Helena for it, but Mrs. Gattos scared her too much. With one glance she could make Alex feel more like a fly than a actual human being invited to stay till there house was rebuilt. "I—I…maybe I'll just have a glass of milk."

Mrs. Gattos stared at her as if she was a child. "Milk?"

"Or water?" Alex quickly amended. "Water would be great." She tried to say cheerily.

Mrs. Gattos nodded tersely and poured a tall crystal glass full of San Pellegrino. "Here you are."

"Thank you." Alex said. She walked back upstairs, feeling like she was going to cry. When she got to her room, she saw a pile of laundry neatly folded at the foot of the bed. She put the glass down and nearly pounced on it, hoping to find her favorite pair of skirt that disappeared a day or two ago. No luck. She'd already grilled her brother Max on the whereabouts that morning. That had to be in Ashley's room. If her skirts had disappeared into the vast catacombs of Ashley's closets, she'd never find them again. But if they'd just been laundered in the last day, they were probably sitting on Ashley's bed right now. There was still a chance Alex could get them back, and Ashley was over at Clarisse's with Max. Alex walked to Ashley's room and slipped inside. She would just find her skirt and be out of there, no problem, she told herself. She quickly checked the pile on the bed and came up empty-handed. Fighting feelings of discomfort, Alex eased open the fifth drawer of Ashley's dresser. She knew Ashley wouldn't be psyched that Alex was going through her stuff, so she tried to search without messing up the neatly folded clothes.

"Alex!"

Alex turned at the sound of the high-pitched squawk. It was Ashley, of course.

"Listen, Alex, if you want to borrow my clothes, you could just ask."

Alex's cheeks turned red. She backed away from the bureau. "But I was just….I…"

Ashley's face was practically twitching with indignation. "I've got a lot to do, okay, so do you mind?" She gestured to the door.

Alex left. There was no point in trying to explain anything. She and Ashley weren't friends, and they didn't give each other the benefit of the doubt.

Alex wasn't surprised when the door slammed behind her. She tried to take deep breaths as she padded down the hall.

"Night, Max." Mr. Peterson said pleasantly as he passed her on his way to his study.

"Night," she mumbled in response. Why bother to correct him?

When she got back to her room, she closed the door behind her. The sweaty glass of S. Pellegrino had made a ring on the surface of the antique cherry desk Mrs. Gattos had polished that afternoon. She picked up the glass, marched to the bathroom and dumped its fizzy contents down the toilet. She hated that stuff anyhow.

Melissa stood in the back of the gym with two of her best friends, Miley Carlyle and Abigail Ozawa. She wore her cheerleading sweater, even though the air was warm and heavy, over a gold T-shirt and a pair of brown Reebok shorts. It somehow made her feel better to be wearing ECH colors, even if East Creek High was no more than half an acre of rubble at the moment.

"I think that one is Hilary Douglas," Miley said, motioning not very subtly through a crowd of fairly ordinary-looking girls to one with brown hair, a black suit, and enough attitude to fill the room.

Melissa shook her head. "I heard she's a blond. Besides, that one doesn't look very well coordinated."

Abigail nodded absently, scanning the front entrance for signs of the football team. She predicted they'd be sharing the gym for warm-ups before heading out to the field. She knew she'd be meeting Zack at five-thirty in the parking lot, but suddenly that seemed a long way off. Her sister was always giving her bits of advice about not depending on Zack so intensely, but Phelicia didn't really understand their relationship. Zack was so much more than Melissa's high-school boyfriend, her date to big social events, Zack knew her in a way that few other people did. To him she wasn't just Melissa the all knowing, she was the most caring but not too much the down to earth type of girl type. She likes to think she's in charged of her life, knows where she's going. And isn't too clingy, even though she has to know where he is at all times. Zack has known her since she was in eighth grade, the year of her problems, and he stood by her. He understood the things she needed to avoid. They never even had to talk about it. Suddenly a tall blond girl walked through the doors, and Melissa knew instantly it was the famous Hilary Douglas. She was beautiful, certainly. Melissa had expected that. Hilary had the kind of stereotypical good looks that made guys turn around in the hallways. But the girl was also strong, confident, and… intense. Intensity was something Melissa always recognized in a person.

"That's her," she murmured to Miley and Abigail.

"Gotta be," Miley agreed, twisting her shoulder-length brown hair into a scrunchie.

Hilary sauntered into the middle of the group and clapped, as though inviting the earth to resume its rotation now that she's arrived. "Coach Porter will check in at four, so let's stretch and warm up before learning the tryout cheers."

Melissa found herself hanging back as the group came together. She knew she was as fit and limber as any girl in the room. She knew she was the most accomplished gymnast of the group—after thirteen years of intensive training she would have been pitiful if she wasn't the best. She didn't need to show them today how effortlessly she could turn a back flip or how she could do knee/seat/thigh split drop. She could easily jump pretty high even though she may be tiny in person. There was time to show off all that stuff later. Instead she looked again at the doors, tuning her ears to the sound of male banter. Her sister cautioned her not to depend on Zack because she didn't believe Zack was dependable. But there Phelicia was wrong. Melissa could trust Zack. She'd never had any reason not to.

"I can't believe you picked our hardest cheer for tryouts, Hilary," Ashley Peterson said, holding her long, blond hair off her neck as she tried to fan herself with her hand pitifully. "Half the ECH girls couldn't keep from tripping over themselves."

"They are all probably bitching about it in the locker room." Clarisse Anderson added.

Hilary held open the lobby's door for her cheerleading buddies. "Do you think it was too hard for them?" she asked as she grabs her gym bag from the ground. "I just figured we show them what they are up against."

Ashley laughed. "I guess, we did go to nationals last year. Might as well weed the non talented out early."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to weed me out. I put in everything I got." Clarisse said shaking her injured wrist.

"A few weren't bad though, I saw some potential." Ashley commented.

"You are right, Clarisse complied.

"Hey I got to run, I'm running late. Catch you guys later, k?" Hilary said as she ran towards the parking lot.

"We are gonna hang at my house tonight," Ashley said. "Why don't you come over after your shift?"

"I can't, sorry, I close tonight." Hilary answered.

"Alright, later than, maybe next time." Ashley replied.

It was five twenty-four. She started her shift at the PX at five-thirty. She hadn't expected practice to nearly go as long. Something about the practice was making her upset. Not that mostly bothering her. She hadn't lost a step since working out over the spring break. She pictured the ECH girls, and than it took shape in her mind. The slim girl wearing East Creek High's colors, she was slim with thick chestnut hair. The girl followed every routine down to the letter. She wasn't wearing makeup or flashy clothing. But in spite of the heat she sore that she wore a cheerleading sweater with the word Captain spelled out over her heart. At first it seemed pathetic, she wasn't the least bit threatened by her- in fact, she'd almost felt sorry for her. But the more Hilary looked at the girl, the more she was struck by her unusual physical grace. She was pale like ivory colored skin, her features were delicate. And although she wasn't muscular or powerful looking, she moved with striking precision and intensity. The thing that is stuck in Hilary's mind is the hatred look in the girl's ice blue eyes. They were huge like an manga character, the most disturbing part was she watched Hilary, barely blinking, for an hour and a half. Fifteen from her car, Hilary looked up and stopped dead. It was the hot guy from her drama class. The one she had been praying to bump into all afternoon. He was leaning against the cab of his Toyota Tundra, looking damp from a recent shower. So he was an athlete-that much was confirmed. He was parked about three cars down and the place was deserted there was no way he could fail to notice her.

"Hi," she said brightly as she fished in her gym bag for the car keys.

He looked at her car, not able to contain the laughter.

"What is that?" Zack said laughing at the Nissan Cube car.

"Well, one it is my ride, and two it isn't all that funny looking. Three my mother got it for me." Hilary said as she strode over, undaunted, and stuck out her hand. "I'm Hilary Douglas. You were in my drama class" she told him.

He shook her hand. "I'm Zack Goodwill." His eyes seemed to be guarded. But there was defiantly a flash of interest there. 'Zack Goodwill. Zack. Where had she heard that name before?' In that instant the name hit her. Zack Goodwill, all-American quarterback of the ECH Lions.

"Well here's my number in case you ever want to act together and run lines." She jotted down Ashley's number and pressed it into his hand. She got into the Nissan and pulled out of the parking lot without another word.

Zack Goodwill

I can't stop thinking about Hilary Douglas. I've spent too many hours picturing the way her soft-looking hair kept brushing her cheek in drama class and remembering her smell (sort of like magnolia and peach mixed together) when she pressed her phone number into my hand in the school parking lot. I have played that moment over and over again in my mind every second. I want to be in her presence. I've had thoughts about her that I'm not going to relate here. It's not just that I'm a horny seventeen-year-old male and she's a beautiful girl, although I don't necessarily expect you to believe me. There's something about her. She seems carefree. Spontaneous. She's so confident and uncomplicated compared to Melissa. And than there's Hilary's body. The way her legs looked in those red shorts… Okay, I'll stop. But I love Melissa. I really do. I am committed to her in ways friends doesn't even make the list. Sometimes I think I know her better than I know myself. Now it is a battle against the will.

*Author's Note: Thank you all for your patience with me. Tell me if I should update still or not. Cuz when I first wrote this I thought I was in love with Selena Gomez now I'm starting to love Miranda Cosgrove, who knows, maybe she'll be worked into the story. (All these things could happen in real life. As you heard in magazines they are human beings as well and even they also get bullied. I DO NOT recommend doing this to anybody. This is a fictional story let's keep it that way.) Sorry I talk too much, but you will get it when you get there, now back to my story.

"The Edition has always been an award-winning high-school newspaper," Alex said to the group that assembled in front of her. "And in this year with the addition of all you journalists from ECH, I believe the paper will be phenomenal." 'Why am I always in extracurricular activities? And why is she compelled to say the right thing?' she asked herself. 'Why am I the self-appointed booster for the school's unity as well?' So far, ECH was synonymous with Joe the obnoxious guy in her writing class as well as knowing another obnoxious guy named Conner. She scanned the crowd. Okay, it wasn't really a crowd exactly. Most students weren't frothing at the mouth to spend a sunny day's afternoon listening to her lecture about editorial integrity and the needing of adversities. But there was at least fifteen people sitting around the Edition's office, making more or less of an attempt to pay attention to what she was trying to say. She consulted her clipboard. "Will anyone volunteer to be circulation manager?" she asked hopefully. She heard every year no one signs up. Circulation manager was a thankless job. No one wanted to be in charge of picking up the large copies of newspaper from the printer and lugging several heavy boxes to the school. A skinny girl who was in the middle row raised her hand. "I'll do it," she said, her voice barely a whisper. A major sigh of relief came from Alex. "Thank you. What's your name?"

"Kelly Thompson." Again her voice was little more than a whisper. "I'm a sophomore."

"Oh, well, you need to drive for this job," Alex said.

"That's okay. It's only once a week, right?" Kelly said timidly. Alex nodded. "Then my older brother can help me."

"Perfect fit for the job than." Alex smiled at Kelly, feeling an immediate connection.

"We'll all help you with circulation," Alex promised. "I'll make sure you don't drown under a sea of school newspapers."

"So who wants to take charge of getting new advertisements for the school?" Alex asked.

Just than the classroom door opened. Ashley appeared, breathless but perfectly groomed.

Alex felt her stomach twist, she was half afraid Ashley came to accuse her of stealing clothes in front of the entire newspaper staff.

"Sorry I'm late, Alex." Ashley hoisted herself onto the desk. "I came with a brainstorm. Don't you think this year edition could use a fashion editor?"

Alex realized Ashley the prim Madonna literally, filthy rich, had either forgiven her or forgotten of the previous night. "A fashion editor?" Alex repeated dumbfounded. The school never had one.

"Yeah," Ashley said buoyantly. "I think it's the perfect job for me, since I have all the clothes you could ever possibly want."

'No.' Was the word forming in Alex's head, in was bad enough to be living with her and a few other kids from school. She couldn't stand seeing her everyday in the Edition meetings…it couldn't possibly work. The whole room was busting with chatter. Alex could see Hilary Douglas's eyes boring onto her. Hilary is another girl that lives at the Peterson's mansion and she barely knows but could she is a good kind hearted girl. Hilary liked and respected Ashley about as much as Alex did but somehow was friends with her they also did cheerleading together.

"So what do you think?" Ashley pressed.

"To be honest, I really don't think the Edition really needs that nor has room for that." Alex explained. "Students that aren't staff can still submit articles for consideration."

"Random article submissions aren't going to impress anybody on my resume, Alex." Ashley snapped.

"Well, that's all I can offer you at the moment, Ashley," Alex said, trying to maintain her cool. "So, anyway, don't feel like you have to stay here and waste your precious time."

Ashley's expression clouded. "I think I'll stay."

"Fine," Alex said tightly. "Stay."

She turned her attention to the rest of the staff. "Alright, you guys. One of our assistant editors is going to take you all on a quick tour of the office while Hilary and I discuss layout and scheduling for the first issue."

Maria Klein took charge of the room, while Hilary went over to Alex.

Hilary was making a mad dash for the Nissan, cursing her platform shoes as she ran. She had stayed after school for the Edition. Now she was almost half an hour late to meet Ashley, Clarisse, and a bunch of other girls for a Mochaccino and gossip session at McCafferty's, a coffee house, etc. Ashley was going to kill her. Hilary had blown off her best friend too many times this week. Suddenly Hilary pulled up short. Her heart was pounding harder than ever, but it wasn't from running. Zack Goodwill's Toyota Tundra was parked next to her Nissan Cube. Today it couldn't have been a coincidence. She continued on slowly. West View High parking lot number 9 is becoming the most romantic spot on earth. He was there. She caught a glimpse of him retrieving his duffel bag from the back cargo. He'd probably just pulled in only minutes before. She knew the football team had weight training this afternoon. If she walked as slow as her great-grandmother, they would pass each other. She looked down, pretending to root out her keys. She decided today she would keep her mouth shut.

"Hilary."

She'd never loved the sound of her name so much. She looked up. "Zackary, hi," said, her voice surprise and she gave him a quick smile. She hitched her bag over her shoulder, keys in hand, proceeding to the Nissan's driver's-side door.

Hooking up with a Guy Lesson # 1: When approaching your target, it is important to appear indifferent and than always maintain an attitude of being in a hurry, whether it is true or not.

He stopped short and was watching her enviously.

Good old #1. Works every time. And it was convenient too, considering her life ran at least behind everybody else's life.

"You seem to be in a hurry." He said.

"Yeah." She threw him an apologetic smile.

Lesson #2: Be mysterious. Do not offer more information than is strictly necessary.

"Lee'on's giving the first quiz on Friday." Zack cleared his throat. "Maybe I could take you up on comparing notes."

Hilary turned to face him. His eyes were warm and friendly. But he kept fidgeting, shifting from foot to foot, as if he had somewhere better to be.

She smiled more warmly, wanting to offer genuine encouragement. "That sounds great. I'll be studying at home tonight. You could drop by and pick them up."

He hesitated but nodded.

"4570 Madison Drive," she continued, hoping he hadn't scared him off. "It's the big mansion near the lake. It isn't my permanent home. Our place got flatten by the earthquake, so I'm with family friends."

She opened the door of her car and stuck the key in the ignition.

"Around eight-thirty." It was hardly more than a whisper. She wasn't entirely sure she even heard him right. But she rewarded him with a grin in hope that she had. She threw the Nissan into reverse without saying good-bye

Lesson #3: Quit when you know you are ahead.

"Sorry, Hilary. I'm cutting you off. As of now, the bar's closed."

"But Alex! I need another Mochaccino!" Hilary whined.

"Are you kidding me?" Alex asked, leaning over the emerald green counter at McCafferty and stared into Hilary's eyes. "The caffeine-induced hyperness is coming off you in waves, dear friend."

At that moment Hilary noticed she was tapping a metal spoon and than looked up and smiled at Alex reluctantly.

"Okay, maybe you are right," she said with a laugh. "Can I at least have some water? It's antisocial to be without a beverage when all your friends have beverages."

"One water coming up," Alex said, pulling open the glass door of the refrigerator. She placed a bottle of water in front of Hilary. "So what are you guys doing? Planning the cheerleading strategy for the season or talking about boys?"

"Cheerleading isn't just our life, Alex," Hilary said. "How do you no we're not doing homework?"

"Are you?"

"Nope. We're talking about cheerleading and boys," Hilary chirped.

*Authors Note: TO BE CONTINUED… Sorry I'm Tired of sitting on the computer.

*Author Notes: I think I may go to retirement on this.

Despite what people say Alex Russo is doing other stuff to keep her mind off the earthquake and Conner McLeod. Don't worry girls Conner is still there. And there is a surprising twist coming I promise. Oh, and I'll try to get Alex acting like Alex again. Thank you again. And thank you new viewers PurpleRose328 and whoever Wacky917917 is. I am very flattered by your comments and still don't know if I should still update, so keep me posted. I'm kind of bored with my story anyways…

For those who doesn't like my story, Hello? No one is forcing you to read it. I'm trying my best. I know I'm not the best writer. I hope to improve in time. Or maybe just to move on with my fantasies.

Tell me if it is even worth it. Sorry for the long break. I'm truly sorry if I haven't made it to what it seemed at first. But Like I said no sense in me being bored to write it if no one likes it. If it isn't up to par that don't read it. I know I'm stuck on the whole lots of people thingy. But it is interesting to me. But if you read it there was a earthquake AND pardon my tits- got that from Lila from Dexter you'd know why there is that leap. I promise to try not to bore you. Isn't that every writers dream?

I want to know what you all like so much about Conner… I made him seem like the enemy. You know him protecting her, caring for her than ditching her for other girls. Kind of like a player. But he has his reasons and faults tell you later why.

~Silgi

Alex rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Thanks for the water, Russo!" Hilary said, strolling away. After reaching back to her table they were in a heated conversation of the new recruits.

"That Miley girl is really good," Ashley said as Hilary plopped into the brown chocolate chair. "Did you see how quickly she was picking up the moves?"

"Yeah. And what about her friend? Melissa or Melanie, I think her name is?" Clarisse added, blowing into her coffee. "She was East Creek's captain."

Hilary sighed. "I can't believe she actually wears her cheerleading sweater to practice. I mean, who does she think she is?"

"I don't know, Hill," Sun Hwan Kim piped up. "She is really, really good. And how would you feel if WVH had collapsed in the earthquake and suddenly you weren't captain anymore?"

"Yeah. That must suck for her," Ashley added.

" In case you have forgotten I'm not captain anymore either," Hilary reminded them as she twisted open her water bottle. "Coach made it clear we are all equals here."

"Sure. That's why you're teaching the cheers and running all the practices." Ashley said.

Hilary couldn't help smiling. She's love to be modest, but why deny the truth? Her friends were right. Coach Morgan wasn't going to demote her. She might make someone her co-captain, but baring severe debilitating injury, Hilary Douglas would be captain of the cheerleading squad again this year. She would make it three years in a row than. But the security of her position didn't change the fact that her friends were worried about their spots on the squad. Hilary put her water down on the table and leaned forward. She picked up Sun's sleek black ponytail and started braiding. "Listen, you guys. I think I know what Coach Morgan's strategy is going to be for selecting the team."

"Really?" Amy Porter's eyes lit up. "Do you know how many she is taking?"

"Or more important, how many from each school?" Gabby Monet asked.

"That's just it," Hilary said. "Morgan's big on promoting school unity-you know, pretending there's no difference between us and those East Creek High losers. So I don't think she's considering even them and she's bound to pick her strongest cheerleaders, no matter where there from."

"That's a relief," Sun said.

"So here's what everybody should do for tryouts," Hilary began.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. _Had the library ever been this quiet? _The tiny sounds emanating from Alex's wristwatch sounds were driving her insane. Alex liked the quiet, but this place reminded her of an eerie Indian burial ground inside one of the tombs itself. Still, it was better than the Peterson's house with Ashley's loud boy band rock. Alex was grateful to have a shift at McCafferty this afternoon, even if Hilary weaseled three free coffees. At least her side job got her out of dinner. She wasn't too thrilled about the part school had started again but it gave her an accuse to visit the library. She opened a Dr. Pepper and popped a few M&M's in her mouth. The dinner's at the Peterson's house is causing her best fitting jeans to hang off her hips. She needed to get some curvatures again if she was to see Conner. She still thinks about that boy that got away. Her and Joe Lucas hadn't made it official yet but they were sort of seeing each other a lot. But why did he have to be rich. She hated how every guy thought she just was impressed by guy's money like she's some sort of gold-digger. Men, keep your money in your pants. That doesn't impress me much. She scribbled in her notebook. Joe, has his own sound studio even though holy and behold he's an average singer. She missed Conner's music, it had meaning. The "I will stand right by your side forever and always until the day I die." No wonder girls love that boy. He is a heart throb.

Alex just wished there were a few more people here. Apparently no one else in West View felt the need to study on the second day after spring break, who could blame them?

Alex stared at the lower corner of her notes. One lonely line of text written there.

**Due Wednesday**: a one-page essay on the subject of loss. Be creative, not maudlin.

She had quoted Mr. Lee'on's words directly when she copied down the assignment. Alex opened the dictionary to the word **maudlin 1**: Embarrassingly sentimental.

But loss was sentimental. What did the man want from them? Blood on the page? Alex closed the dictionary shut. Loss, boss, moss, toss… No rhyming. Rhymes were maudlin. L stood for loss. O stands for over. S stands for sadness. And the other S stood for- Alex drew a blank.

Why was she even bothering? This essay wasn't simply going to happen over night. She'd have to do it at sunrise which might be maudlin but who gives a rat ass? Alex sat up straighter. Someone was watching her. She could feel it. She turned ninety degrees and scanned the reading room.

_Oh_. Her palms prickled. Thirty feet away, chairs by the library's bay harbor windows, was none other than Conner McLeod. With the possible exceptions of Hilary and Ashley, he was probably the last person she would have expected to see here. Alex spun back around. Conner's eyes seemed glued to whatever he was holding, but the guy had been watching her. She was sure of it. Maybe he feels bad about the you know what, her thoughts was racing. Or was that her heartbeat?

_Was he here for her, had he even noticed her?_ She has to admit she was looked better in the past, healthy even. Not so pale, and thin. She didn't want to be thin; she was just born that way. Alex stood up and did and one glance over. She looked about the same almost; her once bottle glass shaped body is now flat! She had to look like a man or worse yet a skeleton. Alex was starting to lose it. Maybe he was just serious thinker who hadn't developed his social skills. Or maybe his rudeness was a symptom of an actual mental illness. Or maybe he was there to pick up smart chicks? (Probably the way he referred to women.) That would be really annoying… But doubtful, she realized in a little burst of self-pity. What kind of worthwhile girl would he hoped to pick up in the library? This is ridiculous. She was sitting in a nearly empty library, staring at a blank page in her notebook, feeling like a complete loser, and obsessing about some guy who's clearly not interested in her well being. Clearly Alex needed to get to the bottom of this. Once she and Conner regroup he'll come back around. Alex slid her chair away from the table with grim determination. If Conner McLeod was even a least bit conceited he'd wish he'd never opened his mouth. Now that she was standing right in front of him, she could see he was jotting down something in his notebook that looked fairly important. She waited for him to look up from his notebook. _Why was her heart pounding like this?_ She could feel tiny droplets of sweat gathering on her upper lip. Okay, he wasn't going to look up. Not without provocation. This conforntation wasn't getting off to a positive start she hoped for.

Conner McLeod stood over Alex's shoulder as she wrote into her journal or diary or whatever those things girls' keep notes in, and apparently, He was either rich, or a heart throb. Either one he didn't think she was happy at the moment so he didn't bother saying anything to her. He just sat down thirty feet away from her watching her in the sunlight. _God, she was gorgeous_. Her curvatures were kind of are gone after moving in to that Ashley Peterson's house. But in his eyes she was a goddess. She was acting very frantic about something all of a sudden. After she noticed he was in the very same room. He hated to think he caused her pain, but truth be told, he had. He was with other girls when he should be focusing on Alex. Now all these new kids are here and he doesn't know what to think, she's always with Joe. It isn't that he's more rich than Conner. That's not Conner's beef with him. It's that he's a music producer that ripped him off. Maybe that's how he got rich by scamming people to thinking they'll be the next big thing. Joe's father is worse as it can get. He bought all the apartment buildings he could and destroyed them to make Mini cosmopolitan malls. He has no heart to the poor and needy.

_Uh-oh_, she was headed towards him.

"Hey," Alex said.

Conner flicked his eyes up at her in her direction. "Hey."

Alex fidgeted with what to say next. "Look Conner, you know I've been spending time with Joe? I think I'm in love with…"

Conner flipped his hair out of his eyes. Wondrous blue eyes staring into Alex's brown ones.

_You_. Alex wanted to say. "Joe."

"Ah, really. That's nice of you to finally tell me this." Conner mumbled. His gaze was so intense, she felt like as if he stripped her down to her underwear-velvet lace that she suddenly felt the need to replace at her first opportunity.

"Well we do have writing class together you could hang with us." Alex said. _Damn_, she must have sounded desperate. Conner nodded his head dark hair coming down, on his face was a small smile. "Right-you're the hearts-and-flowers girl."

"And you're the scorn-and-bile boy." Alex said with sarcasm.

"Oooh. Barbie has a brain." His voice was low and gravelly.

"Oooh. Ken has an attitude," she snapped back. Conner smirked (that was the only word for the snarl with a twist that lit his face). "So we're suddenly a couple?" He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Excuse me?" Alex asked. _What in his right mind was he thinking?_

She was too confused to care. "Who said anything about being a couple?"

"You did. Barbie and Ken. Ken and Barbie." He said tapping his pen against his book, totally at ease, watching her with amusement in his eyes.

"You know I didn't mean it like that." Alex said.

"Listen, Russo. You saw me, than worked up your courage to come over and talk to me." He smiled- a real smile this time. "Admit it you are in it for the long haul? You are here fishing for a date."

_A date? A date?_ She would kill him. She would take his pen and Arghh you get the drift. Alex finally found her voice. "I wouldn't go on a date with you if you were the last guy on earth."

Conner's smile had bloomed into a full-blown grin. "That's usually the line the girl gives the guy right before they ride off into the sunset-"

"Shut up!" Alex yelled.

He shrugged. "No need to get all worked up. I was just stating a simple fact."

She hated him. Alex usually reserved that emotion for non sarcastic people and news reporters, but in this case she would make an exception. Conner McLeod was hands down the most obnoxious guy on the planet. The most obnoxious person on the planet. She would never speak to him again. Without another word Alex turned and strode toward the table where she left her books.

"Nice chatting with you," Conner called out to her.

_Hate._ That was the word. _Hate._

Melissa's hand was shaking as she pressed the receiver to her ear, listening to the phone ring. She took one last look at the lined notebook paper she'd found in Zack's glove compartment-at the loopy red handwriting of some random girl. She balled the paper up in a fist. He probably didn't even know she had it.

It took five long rings before someone picked up. "Hello?"

It was a girl's voice, of course. Medium pitched, confident, accustomed to hearing the phone ringing, or too lazy to pick it up.

Melissa took a deep breath to make sure her own voice didn't come out shaky. "Who is this?" She wanted to sound flat, unemotional.

"You called me. I'm Ashley Peterson." The voice said, rich with indignation. "Who is this?"

Melissa paused, pulling at the hem of her skirt. "Never mind."

She hung up the phone and tossed the balled-up paper in the trash can. She gazed at the ink

marks bleeding over her sweating palms.

Okay, so maybe she wouldn't ordinarily choose a short black dress and silver high heels for a night history books, but Zack didn't need to know that.

It was 8:25, and Hilary was pacing the Peterson's plush family room. She gave the scene a quick once-over. Textbook and notebooks were fanned artfully over the coffee table in easy reaching distance of the leather couch. Soft light music playing in the background on the entertainment center that sparkled with lights. There was a bowl of popcorn in case they rather watch a movie and make-out. _Would they sit on the couch or floor? Will I actually get him to sit at all?_ Hilary wondered. Zack Goodwill was skittish. It couldn't be denied. But somehow it only made him more attractive. Hilary was so sick of guys who hid their insecurities behind a fake layer of conceit. _But why was he skittish?_ Why was a word she'd spent very little time with over the past couple of months. It was bad company, as she was concerned, only making simple things more complicated. And yet she felt compelled at least to try to answer it.

Zack wasn't shy. She knew in her heart he wasn't. She ticked off some other possibilities in her mind: He'd been hurt by a girl in the past. He felt traitorous falling in love with a West View girl. He found Hilary's style intimidating. Those were all good answers.

The doorbell rang, and Hilary went running for the stairs. She'd beat Edward to the door at all cost. Nothing scared a guy off like being greeted by a butler. Hilary clacked across the marble foyer, skidded to the door, and gave the approaching Edward a menacing look. He disappeared, and Hilary threw open the door.

Hilary's heart stopped. Zack was really a heart-throb and really good to look at, maybe the word could be Gorgeous. No, maybe a pretty-boy. His hair was unruly, and the Polo Ralph Lauren Country Tee hitching up looked sexy on him and well, a little preppy. But it didn't make him any less appealing. She smiled, suddenly feeling nervous. "This isn't really my house," she reminded him, noticing the skeptical look of awe on his face.

"Right," he said. He was still standing halfway out the door, his hands in his back pockets. She had a feeling if she made one false move, he was out of there.

She gave him a friendly smile, hoping to ease the first-date-type tension in the air. _Even though this isn't really a date, _she reminded herself. "My notes and stuff are in the den downstairs. Do you want to come down a minute? I can gather them up quickly if you're in a rush…"

She hoped he wouldn't accept the offer—that he was here because he wanted to be—and not just for her notes. But Zack will was hard to read. Not like some guys, who could be read just like a book. (He'd find out soon her notes weren't all that good anyways, what with her staring at him so much in the back of the class.)

"So are you?" Hilary asked.

"What?"

"In a rush?" She almost let out a nervous giggle but caught her self in time.

"Oh, no. Not really." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Great," Hilary said. She took his hand. It was risky, she knew, but she had a feeling he'd never move out of the doorway if she didn't make the first move. He didn't pull away. She held his fingers gently, loosely, using them to guide him to the room. Once they got there she dropped his hand. She felt sorry to lose the warmth of his fingers against hers.

Zack didn't move to sit, so she walked away from him over the coffee table and knelt by it. Waiting. Before she knew it he was standing over her, holding out his hand. She took it, her heart hammering. He lifted her with one arm, he was very strong. He stood Hilary up to meet him, her chin lifted to hold his gaze. He was so close; she could smell the Burberry Brit cologne he was wearing. His eyes probed hers with jarring intensity. Her head swam as he placed one hand lightly against her cheek. He moved it along her cheekbone to her temple and than her hair.

This wasn't like any first date she'd ever had. No going to dinner with family or the movies. His gazed moved to his own hand as he touched her hair, her shoulder. His eyes moved down the length of her body for the first time. Her cheeks were deeply flushed.

"Hilary, you are so beautiful," he told her in a husky whisper.

He put one hand on each of her hips and pulled her in close. Then bent his head and kissed her. Her thoughts scattered, regrouped, then scattered again. She sighed as his kiss grew deeper and more urgent. His strong body pressed into hers. She felt the blood pulsating in her head, making her dizzy and faint. Suddenly he was pushing her backwards. They fell together onto the leather couch.

This couldn't be happening. This was simply a nightmare. Alex had thought that she'd woken up, taken a shower, come to school, and eaten lunch with Charles, James and Joe out in the courtyard. Even the hour she had spent at the Edition had been an illusion. In fact, she was still asleep in her canopy bed at the Peterson's.

"Your assignment, Ms. Russo." Mr. Lee'on repeated for the third time.

"Uh….right." Alex swallowed that was forming in her throat. This was not a nightmare. And just was not right. She actually had to hand her assignment to Conner McLeod, who was going to read it aloud to the entire class.

Alex stood up, silently cursing her knees, which were shaking more or less uncontrollably, had a few, choice, unspoken words for Mr. Lee'on, who had decided that everyone in the class had to trade assignments with another student—a student of his choosing, no less.

*Author Notes: TO BE CONTINUED… if it is good enough to be continued Idk I'm just under a lot of pressure it seems like. Hell, I'm not a miracle worker. Maybe I should have quit when the story was good. No sense in continuing something that sucks. I have lots of random ideas that I never write.


	3. Chapter 3

1*Author Notes: You guys sound like I should continue the story, Thanks for liking it. I am truly grateful that at least somebody likes it. I'm sorry for how long it has taken me to write this and thank you for your patience. I will make this chapter longer for you this time. (I also have to thank the author of High school Debut, Kazune Kawahara, without her I would not have been writing today or ever, she really has inspired me.)

~Silgi

Previously on Take Me Out: Hilary is dating Zack who is dating Melissa, Scary to see what goes on next. Alex's and Conner's relationship is barely holding on. Who is this mysterious Joe Lucas? Why does Conner hate him? What happened to her bestie Sabrina? And when will the story start to pour onto the page…

Mr. Lee'on was obviously a sick, sick man. He claimed that hearing your work read aloud by an impartial reader could help you objectively identify flaws in your own work. But Conner wasn't impartial. She leaned over and put her one-page paper on Conner's desk.

"Here's mine," Conner said, handing Alex his assignment.

Alex felt her face grow red. This guy was not going to let up. He'd decided that she was a walking, talking mannequin, and he wasn't going to change his opinion. He was the furthest thing from the sympathetic reader she needed. He would hate her piece and probably ridicule it publicly. Alex almost wished there would be another earthquake—one that would open the floor and swallow her whole. Scratch that—swallow him whole.

She yanked the assignment out of Conner's hand, made her way back down the aisle, and sank into her desk chair, slouching as low as she could. No doubt she would hear cackling from the back row any second now. _Don't let him get to you. That's what he wants._ Alex took a deep breath than exhaled silently. Okay. She was ready.

Alex placed Conner's paper on her desk and leaned over it. Her eyes moved quickly across the page, dissecting the words he had written. The first line was passable. Could be a fluke. She continued to read. The third line. Each section and each was getting better than the last.

She didn't want to read anymore. She tried to tell her mind to shut up, but it said what it really was thinking anyways: He's good. Conner is really, really good. The language in the assignment was actually quite funny, but it still conveyed the deeper emotion of the piece. Alex's heart beat a little faster as she raced toward the end of the essay, almost against her will.

She wanted to be angry that Conner was talented. She still wanted to hate him. And she did, of course. Only it was mixing with something else. Respect? No! Sympathy? Too ridiculous. What, then?

As demented as Conner was, he was obviously human too. He not only felt things deeply, he expressed them deeply.

"Ms. Russo, if you would like to reenter the earth's atmosphere and join the rest of the class, you can hear Mr. McLeod read your paper to us."

"Sorry," Alex said quietly. She closed her eyes, bracing herself as Conner ambled to the front of the room.

" 'I used to believe that inherent in the word loss…," Conner began. His voice was serious and smooth. She waited for the twist of sarcasm in his tone, but it didn't come.

As he read, Alex felt the words wash over her. She felt a tiny surge of pride as his voice gave new perspective to her work, but she wrestled it back down. Conner would find a way to mock it. Wait until he got to the part at the bottom. He was probably just pacing the class for his big, cruel finale.

Conner paused before he read the last line. She crossed her arms defensively over her chest. The room was eerily silent.

Conner seemed to be waiting until he had everyone with him. And when he finally read the last bit, he did so with such honesty and sincere empathy that Alex felt she would burst into tears.

Conner was quiet for a moment. No one in the class moved. Finally he strode toward her desk, catching her eye and holding it as he got close. He placed the paper on her desk, apparently giving the cue to the rest of the class to start buzzing again.

"I'm impressed," Mr. Lee'on said, and Alex's entire body suffused with pure pleasure. "Any comments from the class?" A pause.

"Conner?"

Alex stopped breathing and froze. She wouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Moving." The word penetrated Alex's heart. "Surprisingly moving."

Alex Russo was having some kind of nervous breakdown. That had to be it. Her hands were shaking, the palms of her hand were itching, and her pulse was roaring in her ears. She searched her mind for some clue as to what happened to her. _Moving…surprisingly moving._ Why did his words suddenly mean so much to her?

She looked back down at his essay, finally allowing her eyes to travel to the bottom of the page. She squinted at the cramped scrawl at the bottom and almost laughed out loud. He'd sign it "Bile Boy."

She looked over her shoulder at Conner and found his eyes. He actually smiled. And Alex found herself smiling back.

Whoever decided that gym should take place in the middle of the day obviously had a cruel, sick sense of humor. Hilary brushed her hair back from her face and fanned at her cheeks, then studied her complexion in the locker-room mirror. No good. She was still blotchy.

"Ash?" she called. "I'll meet you in class. I left my compact in my locker."

Okay. I'll be there as soon as I find my perfume," Ashley said. "Remind me never to let Amy talk me into racing again. I wasn't made to perspire."

"You're just bitter from eating my dust," Amy said, throwing her dirty tank top at Ashley.

Hilary left the locker room to the sound Ashley's disgusted squeal. "Later girls!" she called.

She glanced at the clock above WVH trophy wall. Five minutes to haul her butt across the school and back, which would probably just make her face blotch worse. Oh, well. It was worth a shot. Hilary hurried around the corner and slammed right into a brick wall…a very pleasantly scented brick wall. Her heartbeat sped up.

"Slow down, Hilary," Zack said, putting his hands on her shoulders. The sensation of his fingertips on her skin almost more than she could take.

"Hi," she said, wondering what to do with her eyes. Just being in his presence after last night made her blush. The she noticed the smile. She wasn't sure she'd actually seen one on his face before. It was a fugitive smile, though—one he would have kept down if he could have. "You're happy," she said.

He quickly removed his hands from her shoulders, stuffed them into his pockets, and looked around. As if something to hide.

"I am," Zack said quietly. "I'm enjoying one of the better hours of my life."

Hilary's heart rate skyrocketed. She could tell that part of happiness stemmed from seeing her, but there was something else behind it as well.

"What's up?"

"I really shouldn't be…"

Hilary touched his arm, tilting her face toward his. "Tell me."

After a long look at her face he sighed. "I was just in a meeting with Coach Rogers," Zack said, glancing over his shoulder. "John Winston quit the team. I'm going to start as quarterback."

"Oh, Zack! You must be so psyched. Congratulations!" On impulse she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in close.

Zack gave her a quick squeeze in return, and then pulled away.

Hilary's arms fell to her sides ad she swallowed hard, trying to keep the confusion from her eyes. _Why was he shrugging her off?_

"Sorry, I mean… I should not have said that yet. It is suppose to be a secret. Um, I better go."

She should have been hurt, or angry but moments after rushing away from her he paused downed the hall, turned back and gave her such a intense look that she felt her heart stop out of its even rhythm. She'd capture that look in her memory like a snapshot.

"I'll call you," he said.

"I'll talk to you later," she murmured to his retreating back.

Melissa spotted Ashley Peterson in the mirror of the bathroom, checking the lines of her lip-sticked lips. As much as he'd dreaded this moment, Melissa is ready for action. It hadn't taken too long for Melissa to figure out who Ashley was. She'd already taken notice of Ashley at cheerleading practice; she just hadn't put the name to the face quite yet. And now was the moment to study the girl, she was relieved to see that although Ashley was very pretty, she was not Zack's type at all. She was dressed up way too much, too much make-up, too prissy, Zack Goodwill couldn't and wouldn't stand for the snotty-rich-girl type. His family had enough money for him to tolerate that kind of attitude. Melissa felt confident that whatever was going on with this girl is completely one-sided. It always was. Zack was an exceptional guy. He was amazing looking, a star athlete, and well liked by just about everyone. Of course girls were always throwing themselves at him. Who could blame them? It was natural. _So why didn't he just throw away her number? _An annoying voice in her wanted was pulsating through her mind.

"You're Ashley Peterson, right?" Melissa didn't bother to let the girl answer the question. "I'm Melissa Brown. I think we met at cheerleading."

Ashley nodded, her expression skeptical.

Melissa decided to dive right in. "I think you know my boyfriend, Zack Goodwill."

Ashley shook her head. "I don't actually."

Melissa cleared her throat. "Why did you give him your telephone number if you don't know him?"

Ashley's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me, GWT!"

Melissa looked at the girl confused, "What's GWT?"

"Get With the Times, duh, but what makes you think it was me? It's not like I'm the only person at that number."

This threw Melissa off big time. She hadn't considered that the number given to her boyfriend was by someone else. She didn't know Ashley, but she was pretty sure the girl wouldn't be lying. Melissa had the talent of the knowing people and her surroundings. Now she was thinking did Ashley have a sister? She had to change her tactics and fast. She smiled apologetically. "Listen, Ashley, I'm sorry I should have guessed that. Things are a little tense with the mixing of schools and all. But I wanted the girl to know I'm perfectly real." Her smile went from apologetic to self-amused. "I know you beyond passing out numbers to guys you hardly know."

(Not finished but oh well.)


End file.
